An important emerald-green-tinted goblet presented to Lord Nelson by William Absolon, Yarmouth, circa 1800

the ovoid bowl gilt on one side with the armorials of Baron Nelson of the Nile flanked by a sailor and a lion rampant tearing the Spanish flag, outlined in black enamel and within gilt borders, above a collar over a short stem and terraced circular foot over a pedestal base with lemon-squeezer moulding, gilding rubbed and some chips to the underside of the pedestal foot

Vice-Admiral Horatio, Viscount Nelson, K.B.
his brother William, 1st Earl Nelson
Private collection

The glass is of the type made at Great Yarmouth between 1790 and 1810. The gilded decoration is typically rubbed and can be attributed to the hand of William Absolon (1751-1815) who was particularly fond of using rummers of this style. Absolon ran an engraving, enamelling and gilding workshop in Yarmouth where heraldry and other subjects formed part of his stock-in-trade. Green rummers of this specific type are especially rare. One similar with gilt decoration, is illustrated by C.Hajdamach, British Glass 1800-1914, p.156, pl.123.

It is recorded that 'when Lord Nelson was at Yarmouth, Mr.Absolon presented the hero with two glasses of local manufacture'  (see C.J.Palmer, A Perlustration of Great Yarmouth, Vol.l, pp.365-370 and D.Stuart, Glass in Norfolk, p.21).  According to Stuart this must have been in 1800 when Nelson landed in Yarmouth on his way home after recuperating from his injuries. As it is highly unlikely that Absolon would have decorated a glass with Nelson's arms and which lacked a suitable marine inscription, it is believed that the present lot is one of those two highly personal glasses.