MARK OF PAUL STORR, LONDON, 1818

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AN IMPORTANT REGENCY SILVER PRESENTATION TEA TRAY
MARK OF PAUL STORR, LONDON, 1818
Shaped oval, on four shell, scroll and grapevine bracket feet, the border cast with shells and foliate scrolls, and with two foliate scroll handles, the field finely engraved with a central scene of Cupid unveiling a coat-of-arms before a reclining female figure, with a phoenix rising from the flames and with ships in the background, surrounded by a frieze of a seascape above and a town below, a scrolling border between, engraved with a presentation inscription, marked on reverse
31¾ in. (81 cm.) long; 271 oz. (8,464 gr.)

來源

The Collection at Parham Park, West Sussex
Christie's, London, 15 June 2004, lot 31

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拍品專文

The inscription reads 'SON EXCELLENCE ROBERT TOWNSHEND FARQUHAR L'ILE MAURICE RECONNOISSANTE, 1818,' which may be translated as, 'The Isle of Mauritius expresses gratitude to His Excellency Robert Townshend Farquhar.'

The arms are those of Farquhar impaling de Lautour, for Robert Townshend Farquhar (1776-1830) and his wife Marie Frances (d.1875), fourth daughter and eventual co-heiress of Joseph François-Louis de Lautour of Hexton House, Hertfordshire and Madras, whom he married in 1809.

Sir Robert Townshend Farquhar arrived as the first British governor and commander-in-chief of Mauritius on 3 December 1810. He actively promoted the agricultural interests of the island including food crops and especially sugar-cane. Farquhar also oversaw the building of sugar-mills and roads, and encouraged trade with other countries. He was a director of the East India Company, and was created a baronet in 1821.

The finely engraved figures and scenes on the present tray, as well as on the following lot, are emblematic of Mauritian agriculture and trade, and views of Grand Port and the capitol city, Port Louis, are depicted in detail.