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AFTERNOON SESSION
Sir William Seeds KCMG (1882-1973)
Sir William Seeds KCMG (1882-1973) was a distinguished British diplomat and collector of Chinese and Russian art. He served as Ambassador to Russia and Brazil and in 1930 was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) by King George V. His many postings included a spell at the British Legation in 'Peking' from 1908 to 1909. He arrived at a fascinating time in Chinese history in the months preceding the death of Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908).
Much of his Chinese collection was acquired during this time although he added to it throughout his life buying primarily from major London dealers. The collection comprises Chinese furniture, porcelain and works of art and highlights include an 18th Century ivory ruyi sceptre, lot 1191, a 19th Century altar table, lot 1195, and an unusual 17th/18th century cloisonné enamel and gilt bronze mythical beast, lot 1202, formerly in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence KVCO MRCS (1831-1913), a donor to London's Victoria and Albert Museum.
Letters and photographs from Seeds' vast archive of documents kept by his granddaughter Corinna Seeds on the Greek island of Hydra bring to life his time there. The archive includes a letter from the British Legation inviting a Chinese "Prince of the Blood" to the "halls of the Board of Foreign Affairs on the "7th day of the 9th moon at 7 o'clock" while a British Legation menu card promises diners the classic European favourites of asparagus, roast beef and gateau de Savoie.
An album offered as lot 1193 and also illustrated on the front and back interior pages of the catalogue offers a snapshot of another era with many evocative images including the 'Peking' horse races, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Ming dynasty tombs and crowd scenes taken during the removal of the Emperor Guangxu's coffin.
Sir William was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 27th June 1882 to an Ulster protestant family. He was the only son of Lady Kaye and Robert Seeds QC, the Queen's Advocate General. He had an exceptional gift for languages and as a schoolboy at Rugby was proficient in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.
Before joining the diplomatic service in 1904 he spent two years as a teenager in Russia living with Russian families. As an adult, his fascination with Russia developed into a love of Russian art. He bequeathed a Carl Faberge gold, enamel and diamond presentation box to the Victoria and Albert Museum where it remains on display today. He married Arabella Agnes Muriel Butler (1883-1979) in 1911. They had three sons and one daughter.
A PAINTED ENAMEL OVAL HANDWARMER
18TH CENTURY
Details
A PAINTED ENAMEL OVAL HANDWARMER
18TH CENTURY
The body of compressed globular shape, painted with landscape scenes with cranes and mythical beasts contained within blue foliate-bordered cartouches surrounded by composite foliate scroll interspersed with purple bats reserved on a rose ground, with pierced gilt-copper cover, moveable gilt-metal handle and copper liner
7½ in. (19 cm.) long
18TH CENTURY
The body of compressed globular shape, painted with landscape scenes with cranes and mythical beasts contained within blue foliate-bordered cartouches surrounded by composite foliate scroll interspersed with purple bats reserved on a rose ground, with pierced gilt-copper cover, moveable gilt-metal handle and copper liner
7½ in. (19 cm.) long
Provenance
From the collection of Sir William Seeds KCMG (1882-1973)
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