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Lot Essay
The arms are those of Gorges, for Henry Gorges of Eye and the Mynde (1665-1717). Gorges was MP for Herefordshire in 1698 and later for Weobley and Leominster. His first marriage was to Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Robert Eye of the Mynde, and his second wife was Dorothy. He was a wealthy man, the family fortune coming from the mercantile activities of his father, Ferdinando Gorges.
This coffee pot belongs to an extraordinary service of plate made for Henry Gorges by leading Huguenot silversmiths of the early 18th century. The Gorges Service includes a set of three casters of 1703, four circular salvers of 1704, and four hexagonal dishes of 1716, all by David Willaume, and a ewer and pair of covered cups of 1702 by Pierre Platel. (The cups sold in these Rooms, 17 May 2012, lot 151.)
Henry Gorges cited his silver in his 1717 will, dividing it between his wife, children and executor. He declared "To my wife Dorothy...All my plate linnen household goods and furniture and utensils...in my house in Devonshire Street, St. Andrews Holborne and also such pieces of plate att my house att Eye...as she shall choose not exceeding 100. To my daughter Meliora 4,000 and 80 a year...my pearl necklace and one of my best silver cupps and covers with such salver as she choose for it to stand on...To my youngest daughter Mary 3,000 and 60 a year and my diamond ring with her mother's hair and a silver cup and cover the fellow to that herein before given to her sister Meliora with such salver to sett the same on as after her sisters choices as aforesaid she shall choose...the remaining plate to my eldest son Robert barring the large tankard to my executor for his trouble."
Most of the Gorges silver was purchased by Archibald, 5th Earl of Rosebery from Garrard's in 1878 and sold from the Rothschild and Rosebery Collection, Mentmore, Sotheby's, London, 11 February 1999, lots 22-26.
This coffee pot belongs to an extraordinary service of plate made for Henry Gorges by leading Huguenot silversmiths of the early 18th century. The Gorges Service includes a set of three casters of 1703, four circular salvers of 1704, and four hexagonal dishes of 1716, all by David Willaume, and a ewer and pair of covered cups of 1702 by Pierre Platel. (The cups sold in these Rooms, 17 May 2012, lot 151.)
Henry Gorges cited his silver in his 1717 will, dividing it between his wife, children and executor. He declared "To my wife Dorothy...All my plate linnen household goods and furniture and utensils...in my house in Devonshire Street, St. Andrews Holborne and also such pieces of plate att my house att Eye...as she shall choose not exceeding 100. To my daughter Meliora 4,000 and 80 a year...my pearl necklace and one of my best silver cupps and covers with such salver as she choose for it to stand on...To my youngest daughter Mary 3,000 and 60 a year and my diamond ring with her mother's hair and a silver cup and cover the fellow to that herein before given to her sister Meliora with such salver to sett the same on as after her sisters choices as aforesaid she shall choose...the remaining plate to my eldest son Robert barring the large tankard to my executor for his trouble."
Most of the Gorges silver was purchased by Archibald, 5th Earl of Rosebery from Garrard's in 1878 and sold from the Rothschild and Rosebery Collection, Mentmore, Sotheby's, London, 11 February 1999, lots 22-26.