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Lot Essay
The Levant Company Beakers
This beaker and cover is one of only two surviving gold beakers which were presented by The Levant Company to the wives of the Ambassador to the Sublime Porte (Turkey). An earlier and smaller example, without a cover, was presented to Lady Trumbull, wife of Sir William Trumbull (1639-1716), King James II's Ambassador to the Sublime Porte appointed in November 1686. A note in the Company Minute Book for 29th March 1687 records that:
'Intimation being given that the Lord Ambs Lady was in expectation of a Present as her ladyship had understood other Ambas Ladys had had, it was left to Mr. Husband to provide a piece of Gold Plate to the value of about £60 to be presented to her Ladys in the Company's name.'
The Company purchased a gold cup of 1685 by George Garthorne, which was duly presented at a dinner held at the Ship, Greenwich, (sold The Downshire Heirlooms; Christie's London, 14 March 1945, lot 133). The tradition had become well established by 1697 when Sir James Rushout's appointment was recorded in the Company Minute Book. No embarassing intimation was needed, the Minute Book entry for 5th January 1697 records:
'A Golden Cup of the usuall value is to bee presented to His Excy Sr James Rushout's Lady.'
However Sir James died in 1698 before taking up his appointment, and no record of the presentation survives. It would seem likely that the cup was either retained by the company after Sir James's death or returned by his executors as part payment of the £600 advance he had received to cover the costs of taking up the post. Had the cup remained in the family it would have almost certainly have been recorded in one of two inventories found in the Rushout Northwick Park papers (Worcestershire Historical Society New Series, vol. 16, Inventories of Worcestershire Landed Gentry 1537-1786, 1998, p. 291-308 and 327-328). The first very detailed inventory was made on the death of Sir James's son, Sir James Rushout 2nd Bt., in 1705. The plate consisted of over 3,600 ounces of silver all of which, apart from a tea-kettle and four dressing plates, was sold to a Strand goldsmith by the name of Cooper. This would presumably have been Robert Cooper who worked at the sign of the Golden Lion on the corner of Arundel Street and the Strand. The estate passed to Sir James's young son, Sir James Rushout 3rd Bt. (d.1711) and a second much shorter inventory was made on his death at the age of nine.
It is unclear when the cup and cover entered the collection of the Earls of Shaftesbury. It is recorded in 20th century plate inventories but no 18th or 19th century references are known. It has been suggested that the cup was presented to Anthony, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury (1710-1771) during his time as Governor of the company, a post which he held from 1766.
The Levant Company
The Company was founded in 1581, predating its rival the East India Company by eighteen years. The Levant refers to a region on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, including Turkey; the word deriving from the Italian levante meaning 'rising', implying the rising sun in the east. In 16th century England there was a great demand for spices such as nutmeg, pepper and mace, due in part to their rarity and in part to their perceived value as antidotes to the ever-present threat of plague. English merchant-adventurer companies rose to meet this need, recognising the possibilities of great fortunes to be made, and venturing as far east into the unfamiliar and dangerous spice routes as their Dutch rivals allowed. English company charters were granted by the Sovereign, actions which were often politically charged, especially when proposed trade routes overlapped with those of Spain. Charter members could be made or broken personally by the success or failure of the company, and joint-stock runs were not uncommon, although generally limited by the relatively small numbers of stockholders. In the 17th century the greatest threat to chartered companies came not from trading rivals but from the Commonwealth, which demanded large payments to renew trading licenses. Having weathered this test and withstood the ongoing public debate on monopolies, it became clear that continuous trading despite the odds was the strongest indication of the company's stability.
John Bodington
This beaker appears to be John Bodington's only surviving work in gold. Having become free in 1688, Bodington produced work of very high quality. Among his grandest works are a pair of chandeliers of 1703/4, made for Henry Grey, Earl of Kent (D.1741) and a pair of silver-gilt pilgrim bottles of 1699 from the collection of the Dukes of Newcastle. He also produced a large quantity of fine flagons and alms dishes.
Bodington is known to have worked for the goldsmith-banker, Sir Richard Hoare. Sir Richard employed separately the engraver Benjamin Rhodes. Normally at this period the goldsmith would be expected to select his own engraver but, by employing Rhodes directly, Sir Richard was able to charge a "mark-up" on both the silversmith's and the engraver's work. Although, the elaborate engraved cartouche is similar to a number found in Rhodes's account book, which covers the period 1 January 1694 to 6 January 1698, there is no drawing for the Levant Company arms. The Company order for the beaker indicates that it was made after January 7 and prior to the date letter change on June 8th.
This beaker and cover is one of only two surviving gold beakers which were presented by The Levant Company to the wives of the Ambassador to the Sublime Porte (Turkey). An earlier and smaller example, without a cover, was presented to Lady Trumbull, wife of Sir William Trumbull (1639-1716), King James II's Ambassador to the Sublime Porte appointed in November 1686. A note in the Company Minute Book for 29th March 1687 records that:
'Intimation being given that the Lord Ambs Lady was in expectation of a Present as her ladyship had understood other Ambas Ladys had had, it was left to Mr. Husband to provide a piece of Gold Plate to the value of about £60 to be presented to her Ladys in the Company's name.'
The Company purchased a gold cup of 1685 by George Garthorne, which was duly presented at a dinner held at the Ship, Greenwich, (sold The Downshire Heirlooms; Christie's London, 14 March 1945, lot 133). The tradition had become well established by 1697 when Sir James Rushout's appointment was recorded in the Company Minute Book. No embarassing intimation was needed, the Minute Book entry for 5th January 1697 records:
'A Golden Cup of the usuall value is to bee presented to His Excy Sr James Rushout's Lady.'
However Sir James died in 1698 before taking up his appointment, and no record of the presentation survives. It would seem likely that the cup was either retained by the company after Sir James's death or returned by his executors as part payment of the £600 advance he had received to cover the costs of taking up the post. Had the cup remained in the family it would have almost certainly have been recorded in one of two inventories found in the Rushout Northwick Park papers (Worcestershire Historical Society New Series, vol. 16, Inventories of Worcestershire Landed Gentry 1537-1786, 1998, p. 291-308 and 327-328). The first very detailed inventory was made on the death of Sir James's son, Sir James Rushout 2nd Bt., in 1705. The plate consisted of over 3,600 ounces of silver all of which, apart from a tea-kettle and four dressing plates, was sold to a Strand goldsmith by the name of Cooper. This would presumably have been Robert Cooper who worked at the sign of the Golden Lion on the corner of Arundel Street and the Strand. The estate passed to Sir James's young son, Sir James Rushout 3rd Bt. (d.1711) and a second much shorter inventory was made on his death at the age of nine.
It is unclear when the cup and cover entered the collection of the Earls of Shaftesbury. It is recorded in 20th century plate inventories but no 18th or 19th century references are known. It has been suggested that the cup was presented to Anthony, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury (1710-1771) during his time as Governor of the company, a post which he held from 1766.
The Levant Company
The Company was founded in 1581, predating its rival the East India Company by eighteen years. The Levant refers to a region on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, including Turkey; the word deriving from the Italian levante meaning 'rising', implying the rising sun in the east. In 16th century England there was a great demand for spices such as nutmeg, pepper and mace, due in part to their rarity and in part to their perceived value as antidotes to the ever-present threat of plague. English merchant-adventurer companies rose to meet this need, recognising the possibilities of great fortunes to be made, and venturing as far east into the unfamiliar and dangerous spice routes as their Dutch rivals allowed. English company charters were granted by the Sovereign, actions which were often politically charged, especially when proposed trade routes overlapped with those of Spain. Charter members could be made or broken personally by the success or failure of the company, and joint-stock runs were not uncommon, although generally limited by the relatively small numbers of stockholders. In the 17th century the greatest threat to chartered companies came not from trading rivals but from the Commonwealth, which demanded large payments to renew trading licenses. Having weathered this test and withstood the ongoing public debate on monopolies, it became clear that continuous trading despite the odds was the strongest indication of the company's stability.
John Bodington
This beaker appears to be John Bodington's only surviving work in gold. Having become free in 1688, Bodington produced work of very high quality. Among his grandest works are a pair of chandeliers of 1703/4, made for Henry Grey, Earl of Kent (D.1741) and a pair of silver-gilt pilgrim bottles of 1699 from the collection of the Dukes of Newcastle. He also produced a large quantity of fine flagons and alms dishes.
Bodington is known to have worked for the goldsmith-banker, Sir Richard Hoare. Sir Richard employed separately the engraver Benjamin Rhodes. Normally at this period the goldsmith would be expected to select his own engraver but, by employing Rhodes directly, Sir Richard was able to charge a "mark-up" on both the silversmith's and the engraver's work. Although, the elaborate engraved cartouche is similar to a number found in Rhodes's account book, which covers the period 1 January 1694 to 6 January 1698, there is no drawing for the Levant Company arms. The Company order for the beaker indicates that it was made after January 7 and prior to the date letter change on June 8th.