Lot Essay
William Munro of Achanie, Co. of Sutherland, (d.1748), eldest son of Hugh Munro, married in 1713 Isobel, daughter of the Rev. John Macpherson, minister of Farr. Munro commanded a company of volunteers for the Government during the Jacobite Risings of 1715 and 1745, forming one of three Munro regiments which acted as General Cope's advance guard on the march to Aberdeen. The other companies were the Munros of Culcairn, and Teaninich. At The Battle of Culloden the Munro regiment, on the left flank, bore the brunt of the ferocious Highland charge. William Munro of Achanie at the head of his troops sustained wounds which, two years later, were to bring about his death.
The baluster shaped snuff mull, or box, is a distinctively Scottish form, which appears to have been derived from earlier prototypes in
other materials such as horn and wood, an example of which is the
preceding lot, a simply turned lignum vitae snuff mull of circa 1710.
Examples entirely of silver are comparatively rare, rarer still with
maker's marks.
Hugh Ross (fl.1740-1770), was a well respected maker not only of the more standard provincial output of flatware but also of ambitious and finely-crafted works, such as a dish ring on three lion's paw feet ( National Museums of Scotland) (1), and two exceptional basket hilted broadswords, one of which is in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (2). Few examples of hollow-ware bearing his mark exist, notably, a pepper caster,circa 1770,(3), a snuff box, circa 1760, (4), and a small quaich, circa 1725 (5) .
The Munro of Achanie Mull is an important addition to the body of his existing work. It is arguably the finest in quality, particularly in the chasing of the rococo motifs of scallop shells and trelliswork to the cover, and bears comparison with the work of metropolitan contemporaries such as Ebenezer Oliphant, and other leading Edinburgh makers of the period. The mull was clearly a special commission from William Munro as the maker's mark has been struck on the inside of the box in order to leave the base clear for the full sweep of the inscription.
The Munro of Achanie Mull has an intriguing history, having probably passed by descent through the family of Munro to his great, great grandaughter Johanna. It emigrated with her in the late Nineteenth Century to Australia where it was acquired by the present vendor.
(1) Exhibited, Tain Museum 1997, 'A Ballance of Silver'. Illustrated, p.25
(2) Op Cit. 33
(3) Op Cit. 15
(4) Empire Exhibition, Glasgow 1938, 'Old Scottish Silver, No. 97, illustrated, plate no. 33
(5) Formerly in the Breadalbane collection, now in a private collection
The baluster shaped snuff mull, or box, is a distinctively Scottish form, which appears to have been derived from earlier prototypes in
other materials such as horn and wood, an example of which is the
preceding lot, a simply turned lignum vitae snuff mull of circa 1710.
Examples entirely of silver are comparatively rare, rarer still with
maker's marks.
Hugh Ross (fl.1740-1770), was a well respected maker not only of the more standard provincial output of flatware but also of ambitious and finely-crafted works, such as a dish ring on three lion's paw feet ( National Museums of Scotland) (1), and two exceptional basket hilted broadswords, one of which is in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (2). Few examples of hollow-ware bearing his mark exist, notably, a pepper caster,circa 1770,(3), a snuff box, circa 1760, (4), and a small quaich, circa 1725 (5) .
The Munro of Achanie Mull is an important addition to the body of his existing work. It is arguably the finest in quality, particularly in the chasing of the rococo motifs of scallop shells and trelliswork to the cover, and bears comparison with the work of metropolitan contemporaries such as Ebenezer Oliphant, and other leading Edinburgh makers of the period. The mull was clearly a special commission from William Munro as the maker's mark has been struck on the inside of the box in order to leave the base clear for the full sweep of the inscription.
The Munro of Achanie Mull has an intriguing history, having probably passed by descent through the family of Munro to his great, great grandaughter Johanna. It emigrated with her in the late Nineteenth Century to Australia where it was acquired by the present vendor.
(1) Exhibited, Tain Museum 1997, 'A Ballance of Silver'. Illustrated, p.25
(2) Op Cit. 33
(3) Op Cit. 15
(4) Empire Exhibition, Glasgow 1938, 'Old Scottish Silver, No. 97, illustrated, plate no. 33
(5) Formerly in the Breadalbane collection, now in a private collection