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Lot Essay
The Collection of an Italian Princess
The present collection of silver, including nine pilgrim flasks, must be one of the most comprehensive to exist in private hands. The collection of pilgrim flasks is part of a larger context, an art collection built with beauty and quality as guiding principles, by a charismatic Italian collector with an eye for excellence.
Pilgrim Flasks
The pear-shaped form of the pilgrim flask has its roots in the leather water flask carried by the pilgrim or traveller of the Middle Ages. Particularly grand flasks with fine cut-card work were produced in the late 17th and early 18th century. Contemporary prints, such as Martin Engelbrecht's representation of the great silver buffet in the Rittersaal at the Berliner Schloss, circa 1708, indicate that they were arranged on side buffets during formal banquets. When placed in wine cisterns, they also served to decant wine.
Late 17th and early 18th century examples provided the inspiration for Edward Farrell and Robert Garrard in the 19th century. These revival pieces were also used as grand display plate. Many of the examples by Garrard were presented by the Royal Families of Europe, such as those exhibited, London, Sotheby's, English Silver Treasures from the Kremlin, 1991, no. 111, which were given by the Royal Families of Greece and Denmark to the Tsar Alexander III on his marriage to Marie Fedorovna in 1866. Another Royal pair by Garrard of 1866 matching the present pair was given to King Christian IX of Denmark, and was sold in the Collection of King George I of the Hellenes, Christie's, London, 24 January 2007, lot 303. A pair of pilgrim flasks in the Royal Collection are illustrated in E.A. Jones, The Gold and Silver of Windsor Castle, London, 1911, p. 36.
Lots 707, 708 and 709 are closely related to the design of the 1710 pilgrim flask by Pierre Platel (1659-1719), currently in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum no. M.854&:2-1927). Platel was one of the most successful of the Huguenot craftsmen working in London and Paul de Lamerie was among his apprentices. Huguenot silversmiths brought designs and techniques to Britain, among them the concept of the large pilgrim flask for use as display. The Platel example is engraved with the arms of General Charles Churchill (1656-1714), and later those of his brother John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722).
Sir William Heathcote 5th Bt. (1801-1881)
It is apt that Sir William chose a piece of plate modelled on a pair of magnificent pilgrim flasks, which he had presumably admired in the collection of his late father-in-law Charles, 2nd Baron Arden. The flasks in question are now in the collection of Eton College and are illustrated in John Hayward’s Huguenot Silver in England, London, 1959, pl. 29. The work of the celebrated Huguenot silversmith Pierre Harache they are engraved with the arms of Augustus Perceval (1856-1910), as 4th Baron Arden, great-grandson of Sir William Heathcote’s father-in-law.
Sir William Heathcote 5th Bt. was the son of a clergy man, the Rev. William Heathcote (1772-1802), whose elder brother, from whom William inherited, was the 4th baronet of Hursley. William had a promising academic career. Having studied at Winchester College, next to the Cathedral at which his father served as a canon, he graduated from Oriel College, Oxford with a first class degree in 1821 and was elected a fellow of All Souls the next year. In 1858 he was, with Sir William Gladstone, one of the first two honorary fellows of the college. Although he intended to enter the Bar and practice law, the death of his uncle led to a life as country gentleman and politician. He followed his uncle as M.P. for Hampshire, a seat he stood down from at the time of the Reform Act of 1832. In 1837 he was once more an M.P., then for North Hampshire and in 1854 for Oxford University. He was a deeply traditional man, both in his political and in his religious views.
The present collection of silver, including nine pilgrim flasks, must be one of the most comprehensive to exist in private hands. The collection of pilgrim flasks is part of a larger context, an art collection built with beauty and quality as guiding principles, by a charismatic Italian collector with an eye for excellence.
Pilgrim Flasks
The pear-shaped form of the pilgrim flask has its roots in the leather water flask carried by the pilgrim or traveller of the Middle Ages. Particularly grand flasks with fine cut-card work were produced in the late 17th and early 18th century. Contemporary prints, such as Martin Engelbrecht's representation of the great silver buffet in the Rittersaal at the Berliner Schloss, circa 1708, indicate that they were arranged on side buffets during formal banquets. When placed in wine cisterns, they also served to decant wine.
Late 17th and early 18th century examples provided the inspiration for Edward Farrell and Robert Garrard in the 19th century. These revival pieces were also used as grand display plate. Many of the examples by Garrard were presented by the Royal Families of Europe, such as those exhibited, London, Sotheby's, English Silver Treasures from the Kremlin, 1991, no. 111, which were given by the Royal Families of Greece and Denmark to the Tsar Alexander III on his marriage to Marie Fedorovna in 1866. Another Royal pair by Garrard of 1866 matching the present pair was given to King Christian IX of Denmark, and was sold in the Collection of King George I of the Hellenes, Christie's, London, 24 January 2007, lot 303. A pair of pilgrim flasks in the Royal Collection are illustrated in E.A. Jones, The Gold and Silver of Windsor Castle, London, 1911, p. 36.
Lots 707, 708 and 709 are closely related to the design of the 1710 pilgrim flask by Pierre Platel (1659-1719), currently in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum no. M.854&:2-1927). Platel was one of the most successful of the Huguenot craftsmen working in London and Paul de Lamerie was among his apprentices. Huguenot silversmiths brought designs and techniques to Britain, among them the concept of the large pilgrim flask for use as display. The Platel example is engraved with the arms of General Charles Churchill (1656-1714), and later those of his brother John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722).
Sir William Heathcote 5th Bt. (1801-1881)
It is apt that Sir William chose a piece of plate modelled on a pair of magnificent pilgrim flasks, which he had presumably admired in the collection of his late father-in-law Charles, 2nd Baron Arden. The flasks in question are now in the collection of Eton College and are illustrated in John Hayward’s Huguenot Silver in England, London, 1959, pl. 29. The work of the celebrated Huguenot silversmith Pierre Harache they are engraved with the arms of Augustus Perceval (1856-1910), as 4th Baron Arden, great-grandson of Sir William Heathcote’s father-in-law.
Sir William Heathcote 5th Bt. was the son of a clergy man, the Rev. William Heathcote (1772-1802), whose elder brother, from whom William inherited, was the 4th baronet of Hursley. William had a promising academic career. Having studied at Winchester College, next to the Cathedral at which his father served as a canon, he graduated from Oriel College, Oxford with a first class degree in 1821 and was elected a fellow of All Souls the next year. In 1858 he was, with Sir William Gladstone, one of the first two honorary fellows of the college. Although he intended to enter the Bar and practice law, the death of his uncle led to a life as country gentleman and politician. He followed his uncle as M.P. for Hampshire, a seat he stood down from at the time of the Reform Act of 1832. In 1837 he was once more an M.P., then for North Hampshire and in 1854 for Oxford University. He was a deeply traditional man, both in his political and in his religious views.