Lot Essay
These salt cellars are based on watercolour designs by John Yenn (1750-1821), one of a group preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Yenn was the pupil and assistant of Sir William Chambers, the noted architect. Following two articles by Hilary Young, Sir William Chambers and John Yenn: designs for silver, Burlington Magazine, January, 1986 and Sir William Chambers and the Duke of Marlborough's Silver, Apollo, June, 1987, it would appear that these drawings can in fact be attributed to Chambers.
A soup tureen by John Swift, 1767, on a stand by Joseph Angell, 1824 (the same maker and date of the present lot) was sold Christie's New York, 18 October 1989, lot 197. The tureen was also engraved with the coat-of-arms and crest of Stapleton and along with these salts no doubt formed part of an impressive service
A soup tureen by John Swift, 1767, on a stand by Joseph Angell, 1824 (the same maker and date of the present lot) was sold Christie's New York, 18 October 1989, lot 197. The tureen was also engraved with the coat-of-arms and crest of Stapleton and along with these salts no doubt formed part of an impressive service