BY JOHN LINNIT (FL. 1809 - AFTER 1840), LONDON, 1849, WITH THE ENGLISH POST-1798 STANDARD MARK FOR 18 CARAT GOLD

Details

A VICTORIAN GOLD PRESENTATION BOX
BY JOHN LINNIT (FL. 1809 - AFTER 1840), LONDON, 1849, WITH THE ENGLISH POST-1798 STANDARD MARK FOR 18 CARAT GOLD
Oval, the cover cast and chased with a coat-of-arms below an earl's coronet and with motto on each side, the base and sides engraved with geometric scrollwork, together with a letter dated 1860, marked in body and cover
3 1/4 in. (83 mm.) long
5 oz. 11 dwt. (174 gr.)
The arms are those of Chichester quartering Itchingham, for Frederick Richard, Earl of Belfast (1827-1853), eldest son of Sir George Chichester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall (1797-1883).

The letter reads: 'Dear Mr Sorrons ? / I want you to have some little remembrance of my dear husband; for I assure you he valued you most highly - I have therefore selected the enclosed, as I think it will have a double interest to you, I tell you, it was Lord Belfast last gift to him. Will you then kindly accept for both their sakes - I wanted to say this to you but found I could not. With sincere thanks for all your patience with my troublesome self, believe me, Yours sincerely, E. Wallace-Legge. Malone House, April 1868.'

Provenance

Frederick Richard, Earl of Belfast (1827-1853), given to,
William Wallace-Legge (1789-1868), of Malone House, Belfast, by descent to his wife,
Eleanor Wilkie (1820-1884), daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Forster, of Adderstone, Northumberland.
Anonymous sale; Phillips, London, 21 July 1995, lot 58.

Special notice

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Harry Williams-Bulkeley International Head of Silver Department

hwilliams-bulkeley@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2666

Lot Essay

FREDERICK, EARL OF BELFAST AND WILLIAM WALLACE LEGGE
Frederick Chichester (1827–1853) was the second son of George Chichester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall, and his wife Harriet, daughter of the 1st Earl of Glengall. His elder brother died before Frederick was born, so he became heir to the family's estates. Educated at Eton College, he had a great interest in music, literature, and art and was president of two Belfast choral societies. He died in Naples aged only twenty-five. Lord Belfast presented this lot to William Wallace (1789-1868), of Malone House, Belfast. Wallace assumed the arms and name of Legge in 1821 having inherited Malone House from his uncle William Legge. He was High Sheriff of County Antrim in 1823. He married Eleanor Wilkie Forster in 1838, the daughter of Thomas Forster, of Adderstone, Northumberland. He died in 1868, his widow remarried Major Hon. Robert Needham (1816-1899), second son of Francis Needham, 2nd Earl of Kilmorey (1787-1880).

More from Bayreuth: A Connoisseur's Collection of English Silver and Gold Boxes

View All