A RARE CHARLES II SILVER SWEETMEAT BOWL AND COVER

THE SIR PETER WILLS BT. COLLECTION OF COMMONWEALTH SILVER This remarkable collection was formed by Sir Peter Wills Bt. during the Second World War while serving in the Coldstream Guards, largely on the advice of the authoritative scolar and dealer, Commander G. E. P. How. The collection is now being offered for sale by Sir Peter's brother and sister who inherited it in 1945 when Sir Peter was killed in action in Italy in the last days of the War at the age of twenty-three. As Sir Peter was on active service, his mother Lady Wills, or her private secretary, would often received letters about impending sales and the quality, or otherwise, of the lots on offer. The family have retained all the correspondance relating to exciting wartime sales and indivdual pieces which were though to be of interest. Where appropriate extracts from these letters been included below the catalogue entry. After Sir Peter's trgic death the collection was not added to. Since then only one item, a skillet and cover, by James Birkby of Hull, made about 1650, has been exhibited. The remaining pieces have been stored in the family strongroom, for at least fifty years.

Details

A RARE CHARLES II SILVER SWEETMEAT BOWL AND COVER
London, 1671, maker's mark WW fleur-de-lys below

Circular and on three cast scroll feet and with double scroll handles, the domed cover with three similar scroll feet, the bowl and cover chased in the Auricular style on a matted ground, the cover with central flower head and foliage, each later engraved with a crest, marked on bowl and cover
12in. (30.5cm.) diam.
33ozs. (1,052grs)

For the same maker's mark see Jackson, Ian Pickford ed., p.128

The crest is that of Irby, Barons Boston of Boston, Co. Lincoln

Provenance

The 7th Baron Boston, Monkshatch, Compton, Surrey
Mallett and Son, invoice dated 4 May 1942, for #300

Lot Essay

An almost identical bowl of 1668, by the same maker, from the collection of Sir Charles Welby, is illustrated in C. J. Jackson, An Illustrated History of English Plate, London, 1911, fig. 1047. The purpose of such dishes and covers has for many years been the subject of discussion. In the collection of King's College Cambridge there is a somewhat similar bowl, albeit with central foot finial, London 1640, illustrated in P. Glanville, Silver in Tudor and early Stuart England, London, 1990, fig. 107. This is descibed as a 'bowl for spiced wine' and even containes a nutmeg grater. It has been suggested however, that such bowls and covers were used for serving artichokes (C. Hartop, The Noble Artichoke, Christie's International Magazine, September/October, 1994

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