A GEORGE III IRISH SILVER PRESENTATION SNUFF-BOX

MARK OF RICHARD WHITFORD, DUBLIN, 1807

Details

A GEORGE III IRISH SILVER PRESENTATION SNUFF-BOX
MARK OF RICHARD WHITFORD, DUBLIN, 1807
Rectangular with canted corners, the hinged cover engraved with two coats-of-arms and an inscription, marked inside cover and base
3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) long
6 oz. 5 dwt. (194 gr.)
The inscription reads 'Presented by the Court of Directors of the Apothecaries Hall Dublin to D^r. Rob^t. Percival [sic] as a Token of their Esteem for his Attention to the Improvement of their Profession, Dublin W^m. Callaghan Sec. 4 January 9^t^h 1807'

The first coat-of-arms is that of the Apothecaries Company, Dublin.

Provenance

Presented to Dr Robert Perceval M.D. (1756-1839), later first Professor of Chemistry at Trinity College, Dublin and Physician-General to the Army in Ireland 1818-1821.

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Lot Essay

Robert Perceval was the son of a barrister and was educated at both Trinity College, Dublin and Edinburgh University where he studied medicine. He also studied on the Continent but returned to Dublin in 1782 when he became lecturer of Chemistry at the University of Dublin. In 1785, he helped found the Royal Irish Academy and in the same year was appointed as the first Professor of Chemistry at the University of Dublin. The presentation of the box no doubt relates to his role as inspector of apothecaries, which he undertook from 1786. He is remembered for his philanthropic works and for his role in the Prison Discipline Society, which became the Howard Society and subsequently the Howard League for Penal Reform.

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