CIRCA 1820, PERHAPS BY JOHN BLADES OF LUDGATE HILL, LONDON, BEARING THE ARMS OF WILLIAM FORBES-STUART, MERCHANT OF THE CITY OF LONDON

Details

A CUT-GLASS ORMOLU-MOUNTED TWO-HANDLED ARMORIAL ICE PAIL
CIRCA 1820, PERHAPS BY JOHN BLADES OF LUDGATE HILL, LONDON, BEARING THE ARMS OF WILLIAM FORBES-STUART, MERCHANT OF THE CITY OF LONDON
In two sections, the upper detachable flared fluted bowl cut with alternating plain and diamond-cut gadroons, the lower urn-shaped part engraved with the armorial and cut with diamond-field arcades and gadroons, the richly-chased gilt-metal collar with an oak-leaf and acorn garland punctuated by two angular shell-applied handles over ivy and oak-leaf framed bacchic masks, on a circular star-cut stepped foot (minor chipping)
10 1/8 in. (25.7 cm.) high (2)

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.

Lot Essay

The outstanding quality of both cut-glass and ormolu mounts suggest a maker such as Blades, cut-glass manufacturer to George III; see R. Ackermann, The Repository of Arts (1809) and Charles R. Hajdamach, British Glass 1800-1914 (Woodbridge, 1991), p. 54, for an illustration of Blades' London showroom, with many similar pieces displayed. Martin Mortimer, The English Chandelier (Woodbridge, 2000), pl.84, illustrates an 1828 Blades design for a lustre with some stylistic similarities. William Forbes-Stuart was the only son of Peter Forbes, of Kirkmichael, Banffshire and his wife Christiana, sister of James Stuart, of Lower Thames Street, City of London and Highbury Place, Islington. He was granted the arms of Forbes 6th July 1821 and the quartered arms of Stuart and Forbes on the 31st of August of that same year.

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