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Lot Essay
The ewer which originially accompanied this this dish, and now un-gilded, is in the Schroder Collection, illustrated in T. Schroder, The Art of the European Silversmith, Silver from the Schroder Collection, New York, 1983, ill. p. 159 and p. 160. When sold by the Selby-Lowndes family at Christie's London, 22 March 1888, lot 132, it had already been separated from the dish
As Schroder discusses (op. cit., p. 161), it is difficult to say with certainty whether the ewer or basin were made by either Pierre Harache I or by his son, the father dying in 1700, the year this set was made. Both father and son were greatly admired for their work and received many commissions from the nobility and landed gentry. In fact Pierre Harache I was the first Huguenot to gain admittance to the Goldsmith's company. At the court held on 21 July 1682, an order of the Lord Mayor and Council of Aldermen of the City of London was read, requiring
'....that the daind Peter Harache shall be admitted in to the Freedom of this City by Redemption into the Company of Goldsmiths' paying to Mr. Chamberlain to the City's use forty-six shillings and eight pence'. At the same time the following certificate was presented:-
'These are to certify all whom it may concern that Peter Harache, lately come from France for to avoid persecution and live quietly, is not only a Protestant, but by his Majesty's bounty is made a free denizen, that he may settle here freely with his family in token whereof we have given him this certificate.'
It is interesting to compare this lot with another sideboard dish, with its ewer, made by Samuel Hood, London, 1699, sold in these Rooms, 22 November 1991, lot 113. Made for Charles Lowndes, half-brother of Robert Lowndes, the original owner of this dish, it illustrates the more typical restrained border found on English work at this time, as opposed to the heavy fluted or gadrooned border more typical of Huguenot silversmiths. The engraved cartouches, however are very similar. Both the Samuel Hood ewer and dish are silver-gilt, however, as mentioned above, the ewer made with this dish is not gilded. It is possible that it was de-gilded sometime before it was sold in these Rooms in 1888, alternatively it is possible that the dish was gilded later. It would seem likely however, that both sets were originally gilded
As Schroder discusses (op. cit., p. 161), it is difficult to say with certainty whether the ewer or basin were made by either Pierre Harache I or by his son, the father dying in 1700, the year this set was made. Both father and son were greatly admired for their work and received many commissions from the nobility and landed gentry. In fact Pierre Harache I was the first Huguenot to gain admittance to the Goldsmith's company. At the court held on 21 July 1682, an order of the Lord Mayor and Council of Aldermen of the City of London was read, requiring
'....that the daind Peter Harache shall be admitted in to the Freedom of this City by Redemption into the Company of Goldsmiths' paying to Mr. Chamberlain to the City's use forty-six shillings and eight pence'. At the same time the following certificate was presented:-
'These are to certify all whom it may concern that Peter Harache, lately come from France for to avoid persecution and live quietly, is not only a Protestant, but by his Majesty's bounty is made a free denizen, that he may settle here freely with his family in token whereof we have given him this certificate.'
It is interesting to compare this lot with another sideboard dish, with its ewer, made by Samuel Hood, London, 1699, sold in these Rooms, 22 November 1991, lot 113. Made for Charles Lowndes, half-brother of Robert Lowndes, the original owner of this dish, it illustrates the more typical restrained border found on English work at this time, as opposed to the heavy fluted or gadrooned border more typical of Huguenot silversmiths. The engraved cartouches, however are very similar. Both the Samuel Hood ewer and dish are silver-gilt, however, as mentioned above, the ewer made with this dish is not gilded. It is possible that it was de-gilded sometime before it was sold in these Rooms in 1888, alternatively it is possible that the dish was gilded later. It would seem likely however, that both sets were originally gilded