Lot Essay
The arms are those of Fane with Child in pretence for John, 10th Earl of Westmorland (1759-1841) and Sarah, only daughter and heir of Robert Child of Osterley Park, Middlesex, whom he married in 1782.
John, Earl of Westmorland succeeded to the title in 1774 when he was fifteen. At Cambridge he formed a lifelong friendship with William Pitt. Political office followed subsequently and he held the offices of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1789-95), Master of the Horse (1795-98) and Lord Privy Seal. He was appointed Knight of the Garter in 1793 and Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire from 1828. His first wife was Sarah Anne, only daughter and heiress of Robert Child, the London banker. He eloped with Miss Child in 1782 closely pursued by her father. At Hesketh, Robert Child shot the leading horse of Westmorland's party and would have overtaken the couple had not one of the Earl's servants cut the leathers of Mr. Child's carriage. The Earl and his intended were married at Gretna Green before her father could find other transport. The couple were again married at Apethorpe on 7 June 1782 but Child never forgave the Earl and settled his estate on the Earl's female heirs.
A paeon of praise to the theme of love triumphant, the service was made in the year following the Earl's marriage and is amongst the last of the great toilet services. Another by the same firm in a similar style, 1779, is now in the National Museum of Sweden, Stockholm.
Robert Child, the father of Lady Westmorland, had employed Robert Adam to remodel Osterley Park House between 1761 and 1776. Unfortunately neither records nor drawings exist among the Adam papers, to suggest that he ever worked for the Westmorlands, but in view of Sarah Child's associates with her father's house it is tempting to suggest that Adam may have been consulted about the design of this remarkable toilet service.
John, Earl of Westmorland succeeded to the title in 1774 when he was fifteen. At Cambridge he formed a lifelong friendship with William Pitt. Political office followed subsequently and he held the offices of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1789-95), Master of the Horse (1795-98) and Lord Privy Seal. He was appointed Knight of the Garter in 1793 and Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire from 1828. His first wife was Sarah Anne, only daughter and heiress of Robert Child, the London banker. He eloped with Miss Child in 1782 closely pursued by her father. At Hesketh, Robert Child shot the leading horse of Westmorland's party and would have overtaken the couple had not one of the Earl's servants cut the leathers of Mr. Child's carriage. The Earl and his intended were married at Gretna Green before her father could find other transport. The couple were again married at Apethorpe on 7 June 1782 but Child never forgave the Earl and settled his estate on the Earl's female heirs.
A paeon of praise to the theme of love triumphant, the service was made in the year following the Earl's marriage and is amongst the last of the great toilet services. Another by the same firm in a similar style, 1779, is now in the National Museum of Sweden, Stockholm.
Robert Child, the father of Lady Westmorland, had employed Robert Adam to remodel Osterley Park House between 1761 and 1776. Unfortunately neither records nor drawings exist among the Adam papers, to suggest that he ever worked for the Westmorlands, but in view of Sarah Child's associates with her father's house it is tempting to suggest that Adam may have been consulted about the design of this remarkable toilet service.