MARK OF JOHN WAKELIN AND WILLIAM TAYLOR, LONDON, 1792

Details

A HIGHLY IMPORTANT PAIR OF GEORGE III SILVER TWO-LIGHT CANDLEABRA
MARK OF JOHN WAKELIN AND WILLIAM TAYLOR, LONDON, 1792
On circular base, the baluster stems and bases each entirely chased with swirling flutes, the similarly chased branches with short reed and tie sockets and plain wax-pans, with central flame finial, the waxpans and top of the stem each later engraved with a crest within a garter motto and below a marquesses coronet, each marked on edge of foot, on candlearms and on each socket, the bases further numbered and engraved with a scratchweight '2 40"3' and '4 40"11' one candlearms further numbered and engraved with a scratchweight '1 49-18' the other candlearm numbered '3'
16¾ in. (42.5 cm.) high
177 oz. (5,510 gr.)
The crests are those of Paget, for Henry, 9th Baron Paget and 1st Earl of Uxbridge (1744-1812) who was created Earl of Uxbridge in 1784. (2)

Provenance

Commissioned by Henry, 1st Earl of Uxbridge (1744-1812) from Messrs. Wakelin and Taylor on 19 September 1792, and by descent to his son
Henry William, 2nd Earl of Uxbridge and 1st Marquess of Anglesey (1768-1854) and by descent to
Anonymous sale; Christie's London, 23 June 1976, lot 58 (as a set of four)

Literature

Parker and Wakelin Gentlemen's Ledger, Victoria and Albert Museum, Art Library
M. Clayton, The Christie's Pictorial History of English and American Silver, Oxford, 1985, p.201 no.6 (one of the set of four illustrated)
M. Clayton, The Collectors Dictionary of the Silver and Gold of Great Britain and North America, Woodbridge, 1971, p. 54, no. 66A (one of the set of four illustrated)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Recorded in the Gentleman's Ledgers on Sept 19th 1792 as
To 2 pairs fine twisted pattern candlesticks like Cremorne's 161 ozs. 15 dwt @ 5/8 £45.16.0
To making 6/s- per ozs.£48.10.6
To 2 pairs do branches do 198 ozs. 10 dwt. @ 5/8 £56.4.0
To making 10/6 per oz.
To King's duty on 360 ozs. 5 dwt. 180/2
Engraving 12 crests and coronets 12/each

Another similar set were ordered from Parker and Wakelin by Lord Cremore on May and December 1791.

The enflamed baluster-vase candlesticks, designed in George III 'Roman fashion to evoke sacrifices at Loves altar in antiquity, are enwreathed by spiralled reeds in the manner of strigil-fluted sarcophagi. Entwined branches issue from the sacred flames festive altar pedestals, whose beribboned reeds recall the Arcadian satyr Pan.

Uxbridge's eldest son commanded the whole of the cavalry and horse artillery under the Duke of Wellington in the Battle of Waterloo, losing a leg from a cannon ball shot. He was created 1st Marquis of Anglesey on 4 July 1815 in recognition of his services and received the Order of the Garter in 1818. In the Duke of Wellington's administration he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.

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