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Lot Essay
The arms are those of Ernle impaling Erle for Sir Edward Ernle, third baronet of Maddington, M.P. for Wareham, and Frances, only daughter and heir of General the Rt. Hon. Thomas Erle of Charborough, who was a privy councillor to Queen Anne and George I.
This maker's mark, with the Agnus Dei beneath a crown and two pellets, bears close similarity to the mark of Samuel Margas of Rouen (1627-1683). His son, also Samuel, was born in Rouen circa 1656 but like many Huguenot silversmiths, moved to London, living in the parish of St. Martin's in the Fields by 1688. Although he worked as a silversmith in London, he never registered a mark at Goldsmiths' Hall, and it appears that he simply continued using his original maker's mark from Rouen for the works he made in London, such as these salts. His son, the third Samuel in the line, was born in London around 1690, and registered marks there in 1715 and 1721.
This maker's mark, with the Agnus Dei beneath a crown and two pellets, bears close similarity to the mark of Samuel Margas of Rouen (1627-1683). His son, also Samuel, was born in Rouen circa 1656 but like many Huguenot silversmiths, moved to London, living in the parish of St. Martin's in the Fields by 1688. Although he worked as a silversmith in London, he never registered a mark at Goldsmiths' Hall, and it appears that he simply continued using his original maker's mark from Rouen for the works he made in London, such as these salts. His son, the third Samuel in the line, was born in London around 1690, and registered marks there in 1715 and 1721.