Lot Essay
The arms are those of Northey impaling those of Hopkins, as borne by William Northey of Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, one of the Commissioners for Trade and Groom of the Chamber to George III who married Ann, daughter of the Rt. Hon. Edward Hopkins, Secretary of State for Ireland. He was M.P. for Calne in 1747, Maidstone in 1762 and Bedwin in 1770.
George Wickes's Gentlemen's Ledger for 1740-1748 lists a number of purchases by William Northey. The entry for January 28, 1742/3 records:
Oz. dwt. @ /p s d
To a large waiter 130 9 6/2 40 14 5
To making at 1/10 per oz. 11 19 2
To graving a coat and mantling 3 10
To 2 smaller waiters 78 17 24 6
To making at 1/10 per oz. 7 4 6
To graving 2 coats & mantlings 2
To 4 hand waiters 41 4 8/- 16 9 8
To gaving 4 crests large 4
The present salver is one of the "smaller waiters" which cost a total of /p33 10s 6d. The account was settled on February 2 with "3 escallopt waiters" and "a Plate warmer" weighing a total of 358 oz. 10 dwt. This outmoded plate was bought at 5s 8d per ounce by Wickes. [VAM, GL8, folio 96; reproduced courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum and Garrard's, London]
George Wickes's Gentlemen's Ledger for 1740-1748 lists a number of purchases by William Northey. The entry for January 28, 1742/3 records:
Oz. dwt. @ /p s d
To a large waiter 130 9 6/2 40 14 5
To making at 1/10 per oz. 11 19 2
To graving a coat and mantling 3 10
To 2 smaller waiters 78 17 24 6
To making at 1/10 per oz. 7 4 6
To graving 2 coats & mantlings 2
To 4 hand waiters 41 4 8/- 16 9 8
To gaving 4 crests large 4
The present salver is one of the "smaller waiters" which cost a total of /p33 10s 6d. The account was settled on February 2 with "3 escallopt waiters" and "a Plate warmer" weighing a total of 358 oz. 10 dwt. This outmoded plate was bought at 5s 8d per ounce by Wickes. [VAM, GL8, folio 96; reproduced courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum and Garrard's, London]