An important set of six James II silver wall sconces

MAKER'S MARK OF THOMAS JENKINS, LONDON, 1687

Details

An important set of six James II
silver wall sconces
Maker's mark of Thomas Jenkins, London, 1687
The back plates each engraved with a coat-of-arms within baroque cartouche incorporating scrolls, shells, foliage and auricular mask, within repouss and chased wreath, flanked by two seated putti holding fruit festoons above chased acanthus foliage on matted ground and openwork husk festoons, all surmounted by a winged cherub's mask, the single foliate scroll branch terminating in a ram's mask supporting the hexafoil fluted and matted wax-pan with acanthus foliage border, the candle socket formed as four vertical palm leaves, the reverse with plain hook and, later engraved with a baron's coronet, marked on back plates, wax-pans, sockets and rear suspension hooks
12in. (32cm.) high
220ozs. (6,984gr.)
The arms are those of Jolliffe with Michell in pretence, for John Jolliffe Esq., (circa 1696-1771) and his first wife Catherine, daughter and heiress of Robert Michell Esq. (1653-1729), whom he married on 17 March 1731. Tragically she died later the same year on 24 June.

John Jolliffe was the third son of Benjamin Jolliffe Esq. of Crofton Hall, co. Worcester. He was educated at Westminster and University College, Oxford. With his short marriage to Catherine came the Michell estates and the electoral interest in the borough of Petersfield on which he He returned his uncle, Sir William Jolliffe (1660-1750) in 1734 In 1735, having bought the manor of Petersfield for 5,693 he gained control of the seat, for which he was returned on the retirement of his uncle in 1741. He was appointed receiver general to the Duchy of Lancaster in 1738, and this, combined with the estates he received with his second marriage, to Mary, daughter and heir of Samuel Holden Esq., greatly increased his not inconsiderable wealth.

It is possible that the sconces were presented to Jolliffe and his first wife on their marriage in 1731, or perhaps it is more likely that they formed part of the collection of plate which his wife brough with her on their marriage, Jolliffe replacing the Michell arms with his won and those of his new wife. They descended in the family to his great-grandson, William George Hylton Jolliffe (1800-1876). He was M.P. for Petersfield, 1830-31 and 1837-1866. In 1821 he was created a baronet, of Metsham, co. Surrey and, as heir representative of the Barons Hylton of Hylton Castle, co. Durham, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Hylton on 19th July 1866, it was probably at this time that the baron's coronet was engraved on the reverse of the back plates (6)

Provenance

The Executors of the 4th Baron Hylton; Sotheby's London, 20 April 1972, lot 100.

Literature

J. Banister 'A Case of Mistaken Identity'. Thomas Jenkins: 'The Master Craftsman', The Society of Silver Collectors, The Proceedings, 1976-1979, vol.II, nos. 11-13, p. 189, fig. 319.
V. Brett, The Sotheby's Directory of Silver, 1600-1949, London, 1986, p. 135, no. 474., illustrated
J. Bourne and V. Brett, Lighting in the Domestic Interior, Renaissance to Art Nouveau, London, 1991, p.38, illustrated

Lot Essay

These sconces appear to be the only surviving set of six 17th century English examples by one maker and of the same year known. According to Charles Oman (see Caroline Silver, London, 1970, pp. 54-55) there remain, in the Duke of Buccleuch's collection, four of 1668 with the maker's mark IN above a bird and six others, similar, with the maker's mark only S crowned probably for Robert Smythier (Oman, op. cit. pl. 63A). Also probably by Smythier are a set of six with maker's mark only, in the Royal collection, which have later additions (Oman, op. cit. pl. 63B. A pair of 1668 by the maker IN a bird below, with four made to match probably by Robert Smyther, circa 1670, but with altered branches by Paul Storr were sold from the Earl of Lonsdale's collection at Christie's (19 February 1947, lot 159). Also subject to considerable alteration are twelve unmarked matching scones made circa 1670 and circa 1686. Four of these remain in the Royal collection and eight are at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Virginia (see J.D. Davis, English Silver at Williamsburg, Virginia, 1976, pp. 15-17).

The identification of the maker's mark, TI between escallops as being that of Thomas Jenkins, was first published by Arthur Grimwade in 'A case of Mistaken Identity. Thomas Jenkins: The Man', The Society of Silver Collectors. The Proceedings 1976-1979, vol II, nos. 11/13 pp. 185-186. Thanks to his researches and those of Judith Banister (op. cit., pp. 187-193) we now know something about this important late-17th century silversmith whose extant work comprises in the region of a 130 pieces of almost invariably excellent quality.

Jenkins' work dates from 1668 to 1703 and, from surviving pieces, it is clear that he received commissions from the nobility and leading gentry, as well as the Church and town Corporations. He worked in the newest styles of his day, and his productions are well made and often exceptionally heavy in weight. As Judith Banister mentions, "the output of his Essex Street workshops include most of the usual objects made by leading silversmiths of the age, numerous tankards and porringers, footed salvers, bowls, cagework cups, candlesticks, ewers and toilet silver. He made grand garnitures of plate for displaying on chimney-pieces, and his special commissions included church and civic plate, at least one ewer and dish and, rarest of all, a silver warming-pan" (op. cit. p. 187).

Apart form the present set of sconces, Jenkin's major work includes a magnificent wine cistern of 1677, sold by Christie's in the Stowe sale of 1848, and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, a superb ewer and dish of 1686, formerly in the collection of Lord Bagot, and a rosewater dish which formed part of the Sebright heirlooms, now in the British Museum.

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