A rare Regency silver and silver-gilt chess set, by Edward Farrell, London, with the date mark 1816

Details

A rare Regency silver and silver-gilt chess set, by Edward Farrell, London, with the date mark 1816
The royal pieces shown as crowned orientals, riding camels side saddle, on oval naturalistic bases, the bearded bishops shown wearing robes and mitres and carrying processional crosses on rectangular bases, the equestrian knights as mustachioed and cuirassed cavalrymen, their helmets crested with salamanders, holding aloft batons (two lacking, one incomplete), on rectangular naturalistic bases, the rooks as elephants with castellated howdahs each surmounted by a pennant, the pawns as Roman foot soldiers, shown helmeted and wearing capes, the rocky bases modelled with sea shells, each piece with assay marks to the side of its base or to the underside
the kings -- 3¾in. (9.5cm) high; the pawns -- 2 7/8in. (7.3cm) high
112 troy oz

Lot Essay

Edward Farrell is listed as working at an address in Covent Garden at the time of manufacture of the present chess set. He was renowned for his fine craftsmanship in the rococo revival style, producing heavy tea services worked with Dutch scenes of peasant workers in the manner of Teniers. He also produced large ornamental plate, of which perhaps the most remarkable is the Hercules candelabrum commissioned by the Duke of York in 1822 (Duke of York Sale, Christie's 1827, Sir Clive Milnes Gaskell Collection, Christie's 1967).

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Victor Keats, Chessmen for collector's, Batsford, London 1985. Page 135, a similar set illustrated fig.160.

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