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Lot Essay
The arms are those of Montefiore impaling those of Cohen as borne by Moses Montefiore (1784-1885) and his wife, Judith Cohen (d. 1862).
Several other examples of this tray are known, yet few possess such exceptionally fine engraving. The Royal Collection contains a set of six oval trays, in two sizes, dating to 1809 and 1810. A tray by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith of 1805, with the arms of Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1771-1851), sold from the collection of the Earl of Harewood, Christie's, London, June 30, 1965, lot 111, and later at Sotheby's, New York, October 17, 1995, lot 63. Another by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith of 1806 in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is illustrated in A. Phillips and J. Sloane, Antiquity Revisited: English and French Silver-Gilt, 1997, p. 29. Three two-handled trays of varying size by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith of 1803 and 1805, and Benjamin and James Smith of 1809 are illustrated in J. B. Hawkins, The Al-Tajir Collection of Silver and Gold, Vol. 1, 1983, pp. 90-93 and in The Glory of the Goldsmith: Magnificent Gold and Silver from the Al-Tajir Collection, 1989, nos. 115, 126 and 129.
Other pieces of silver bearing Sir Moses Montefiore's arms have sold at auction, including a William IV silver tea tray and pair of salvers by Benjamin Smith III of 1835, sold in these rooms, April 22, 1993, lot 206 and 207, and a pair of silver-gilt claret jugs, Paul Storr, 1811, sold at Sotheby's, New York, December 13, 1984, lot 59 as well as a circular cake basket by Benjamin Smith of 1835, sold at Christie's, London, October 6, 1963, lot 36 and a vegetable dish, by Garrard of 1837, sold in these rooms, September 27, 1978, lot 205.
Several other examples of this tray are known, yet few possess such exceptionally fine engraving. The Royal Collection contains a set of six oval trays, in two sizes, dating to 1809 and 1810. A tray by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith of 1805, with the arms of Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1771-1851), sold from the collection of the Earl of Harewood, Christie's, London, June 30, 1965, lot 111, and later at Sotheby's, New York, October 17, 1995, lot 63. Another by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith of 1806 in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is illustrated in A. Phillips and J. Sloane, Antiquity Revisited: English and French Silver-Gilt, 1997, p. 29. Three two-handled trays of varying size by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith of 1803 and 1805, and Benjamin and James Smith of 1809 are illustrated in J. B. Hawkins, The Al-Tajir Collection of Silver and Gold, Vol. 1, 1983, pp. 90-93 and in The Glory of the Goldsmith: Magnificent Gold and Silver from the Al-Tajir Collection, 1989, nos. 115, 126 and 129.
Other pieces of silver bearing Sir Moses Montefiore's arms have sold at auction, including a William IV silver tea tray and pair of salvers by Benjamin Smith III of 1835, sold in these rooms, April 22, 1993, lot 206 and 207, and a pair of silver-gilt claret jugs, Paul Storr, 1811, sold at Sotheby's, New York, December 13, 1984, lot 59 as well as a circular cake basket by Benjamin Smith of 1835, sold at Christie's, London, October 6, 1963, lot 36 and a vegetable dish, by Garrard of 1837, sold in these rooms, September 27, 1978, lot 205.