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Lot Essay
William, 1st Earl of Lonsdale (1757-1844), succeeded his cousin in 1802 as Viscount and Baron Lowther and was created Earl of Lonsdale in 1807. Robert Smirke wrote of the Earl in the Farington Diary, May 19, 1808: "His Lordship rises at 7 o'clock in the winter and earlier in the Summer ... and does a vast amount of business. His private amusement is hunting, and he keeps about 50 Hunters ... He has very good spirits, and enjoys conversation, anecdotes &c., and tells pleasant stories Himself. His income is supposed to be from 80 to L100,000 a year, but He has vast expenses. He has 4 establishments, one at Lowther, also at Whitehaven, Cottesmere in Rutlandshire, and in London." (Complete Peerage).
Rundell's supplied several examples of this model, all made by Paul Storr, to the Royal Family during this period. A pair of 1814 made for Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1771-1851), fifth son of George III, is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (illustrated in N.M. Penzer. Paul Storr, The Last of the Goldsmiths, 1954, pl. XLVIII, p. 174). A set of four of the same year includes two from the collection of Princess Augusta Sophia (1768-1840), second daughter of George III. These were later taken to Hanover after her brother the Duke of Cumberland became King of Hanover in 1837. The four were sold at Christie's, New York, April 16, 1999, lot 192. A further set of four, again 1814, includes a pair made for Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge (1774-1850), seventh son of George III. They are illustrated in J. Bliss, The Jerome and Rita Gans Collection of English Silver, n.d. no. 40, pp. 122-23.
Rundell's supplied several examples of this model, all made by Paul Storr, to the Royal Family during this period. A pair of 1814 made for Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1771-1851), fifth son of George III, is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (illustrated in N.M. Penzer. Paul Storr, The Last of the Goldsmiths, 1954, pl. XLVIII, p. 174). A set of four of the same year includes two from the collection of Princess Augusta Sophia (1768-1840), second daughter of George III. These were later taken to Hanover after her brother the Duke of Cumberland became King of Hanover in 1837. The four were sold at Christie's, New York, April 16, 1999, lot 192. A further set of four, again 1814, includes a pair made for Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge (1774-1850), seventh son of George III. They are illustrated in J. Bliss, The Jerome and Rita Gans Collection of English Silver, n.d. no. 40, pp. 122-23.