CIRCA 1800

Details

A GEORGE III ORMOLU-MOUNTED AND EBONIZED INKSTAND
CIRCA 1800
The rectangular gadrooned top with central removable candlestick and snuffer, flanked by a glass inkwell with finial stopper and a sand-container with pierced top, each held in place by a stand, flanked by a dished pen-tray to each side, above a drawer centered by a lion-mask and laurel spray, with conforming decoration to each side, on acanthus-wrapped lion-paw feet, one foot mount stamped 'M', with a framed letter, the envelope addressed to 'Dr .....son, Pall Mall', 'Sir, You will oblige me ex ceedingly if you will al low the Inkstand which accompanies this note to stand on your table as a proof of my gra titude for your kind attendance during my illness which no one can be more sensible of than your friend Eley (?) June 27th 1814'
8 in. (20 cm.) high, 11¼ in. (28.5 cm.) wide, 9 in. (23 cm.) deep

Provenance

Possibly John Tottenham, 2nd Marques of Eley (d. 1845), based upon the accompanying letter.
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 23 April 1998, lot 230.
with Jeremy Ltd., London.

Lot Essay

An apparently identical inkstand, thought to have been a gift from King George III to Dr. Heberden, was sold with a letter dated 1814 accompanying the gift, was sold by a descendant of Dr. Heberden's daughter, Sotheby's, London, 16 March 1984, lot 38. Another in a distinguished American collection was acquired from French and Company, New York in 1998. Others similar with rectangular rather than turned cut-glass bottles include: one sold by the The Trustees of The Harewood Charitable Trust, Christie's, London, 10 April 1986, lot 58; and another, sold anonmously, Christie's, London, 19 November 1992, lot 5. A further example bearing the coat of arms of George Pochin, Barkby Hall or Edmonthorpe Hall, Leicestershire, was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 7 July 1994, lot 5.

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