The Burghley Basket: A George II silver large bread basket, John Edwards II, London, 1731

oval with high everted sides pierced with diaper above a band of foliate strapwork with animal heads, enclosing cartouches engraved with contemporary arms and crest, also later dolphin crest and monogram EMK, flying scroll handles mounted with heraldic lions passant regardant, the foot rim chased with palm and acanthus, later fitted with a Sheffield Plated liner, marked on base.

Brownlow, 8th Earl of Exeter, by descent to
William Alleyne, 3rd Marquess of Exeter
Sold Christie's, London, 1888

The arms are those of Cecil impaling Chambers for Brownlow, 8th Earl of Exeter (b. 1701) and his wife Hannah Sophia, daughter and co-heir of Thomas Chambers, citizen and merchant of London and Derby, whom he married in 1724.  This advantageous marriage allowed the Exeter estates to become solvent again after being burdened with extensive debts from the building and collecting of the 5th Earl and his Countess.  Brownlow served as M.P. for Stamford 1722 and as Lord High Almoner for the coronation of George II in 1727.  He died in 1754, and his wife in 1765.

The 8th Earl was a keen patron of plate.  In 1724 he accepted delivery of the enormous silver wine cooler by Phillip Rollos, which had originally been ordered by his grandfather the 5th Earl, but which could not be paid for until Thomas Chambers settled the bill for his son-in-law.  At 3,690 ounces, 63 inches long, and 34 inches high, it is one of the largest known.  In 1728, the Earl complimented this with the wine cistern and fountain by Thomas Farren, which were shown in the Treasure Houses of Britain exhibition.  Both the wine cooler and the cistern have handles modeled as the lion supporters from the Cecil coat of arms, as on the offered basket.  The Earl purchased a pair of these baskets in 1731; this one was sold at Christie's in 1888 to help offset the debts generated by the 3rd Marquess, while the matching example is still at Burghley House.

John Edwards II was apprenticed to Thomas Prichard of the Grocers' Company, and took up his freedom in 1723, though he had already in 1716 signed the petition against assaying the work of foreigners not having served seven years apprenticeship.  From 1723 to 1743 he was Subordinate Goldsmith to the King, and thus appears in the Jewel House records.  His clients also included Simon, Earl Harcourt (pair of tureens, Hartman Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) and Sir Henry Featherstonhaugh of Uppark (pair of tureens, sold Sotheby's, New York, December 16-17, 1982, lot 576).  His address is given as St. Swithin's Lane, near Lombard Street.  Grimwade notes of him, "his work at best reaches remarkable quality of execution."