MAKER'S MARK IH, A PELLET BELOW ONLY, CIRCA 1670

Details

A Charles II gold miniature porringer
maker's mark IH, a pellet below only, circa 1670
Slightly tapering, on stepped circular foot, with two reeded double scroll handles, the interior stipple engraved with initials 'JNB' conjoined, the base also engraved with initials 'JNB' conjoined, marked on base with marker's mark only
1½in. (3.75cm.) high
1oz. (50gr.)

Provenance

The Rt. Hon. Michael Noble; Christie's London, 13 December 1967, lot 44 (£1,300 to How)
Anonymous Sale; Christie's London, 27 March 1985, lot 199

Literature

A. Grimwade, "A New List of English Gold Plate", Connoisseur, May 1951, pt. I, p. 82, illustrated p.80
M. Clayton, Christie's Pictorial History of English and American Silver, Oxford, p. 63, illustrated fig. 2

Exhibited

London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1997-2000

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. On occasion Christie's has a direct financial interest in lots consigned for sale. This interest may include guaranteeing a minimum price to the consignor of property or making an advance to the consigned property. Such property is offered subject to a reserve. This is such a lot.

Lot Essay

The Michael Noble collection of silver and gold included a number of miniature silver objects but this porringer was the only gold example. The function of such 'toys' has been much debated and it seems probable that, while many were designed for children's doll houses, some may also have been used as samples to demonstrate to potential clients how the full-scale object would appear. The present gold porringer, given its value and interim size, seems unlikely to be made for either of these purposes. The most likely use was as a christening present or, perhaps, as a gift to the mother of a newborn child (see lots 18 and 19).

The Michael Noble sale at Christie's on 13 December 1967 contained twelve gold lots but these were not all English. The total included an unmarked, probably Portuguese mid 18th century teapot and stand and a Scottish gold freedom box. The most notable piece in the sale was the Scottish gold teapot, by James Ker of Edinburgh awarded for the King's plate run at Leith, Midlothian in 1736 and engraved with the winner's name, Legacy. It seems possible that a teapot was selected as a deliberate play on the word "heat". This teapot is now in the Assheton-Bennett Collection, Manchester City Art Gallery.

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