MARK OF JAMES SHRUDER, LONDON, 1739

Details

A GEORGE II LARGE SILVER MECHANICAL DISH-CROSS
MARK OF JAMES SHRUDER, LONDON, 1739
The large central baluster-form lamp with detachable cover pierced with three wick holders, resting on three adjustable leaf-capped scroll supports with shell terminals, each moving on a central ratchet, and with locking mechanism, the three sliding bars each with a backing of brass pins, engraved on lamp and cover with a crest, marked under base, cover, and on each shell dish support, also engraved with inventory number 2 and scratchweight 54 :17
17 in. (43 cm.) wide fully extended
gross weight 71 oz. 1 dwt. (2,210 gr.)
The crest is that of Bugge or Moore.

Provenance

With Thomas Lumley Ltd., London, November 1952.
With Wellby Ltd., London, April 1953.
The Hahn Collection; Christie's, New York, 23 October 2000, lot 244.
A Gentleman; Christie's, New York, 17 May 2011, lot 193.

Literature

The Connoisseur Magazine, November, 1952, no. 130, p. xxvi, Thomas Lumley Ltd. advertisement.
The Connoisseur Magazine, April 1953, no. 131, p. xxviii, Wellby Ltd., advertisement.
J. D. Davis, English Silver at Williamsburg, Williamsburg, 1976, p. 163, n. 1.
M. Clayton, The Collector's Dictionary of the Gold and Silver of Great Britain and North America, 2nd ed., Woodbridge,1985, p. 157., illus. pl. 242

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

Schruder has employed an ingenious design for this massive dish-cross, making it a very rare example of exceptional size. The dish cross uses three bar supports fitted with pins that engage with a geared column within the heater base. As one leg extends or retracts, the others simultaneously shift in unison. The only other known examples of this extremely rare form of dish cross include one with alternating wick burners is by Paul Crespin, 1738, in the Egremont Collection at Petworth House, Sussex, and another by John Swift of 1754 sold from the collection of Mrs. C. J. Devine, Christie's, New York, 15 October 1985, lot 1199. For a note on James Shruder see lot 147.

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