A set of twenty-three George III silver-gilt dessert plates, Paul Storr, London, 1798

circular with laurel rims, engraved with contemporary arms in an oval flanked by sprigs

surface scratches from use and gilding rubbed at high spots, otherwise good
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The arms are those of Hope, most likely for the aesthete and patron Thomas Hope (1769-1831). Although several members of the Dutch banking family established themselves in London in the 1790s, Thomas was a patron of Paul Storr in 1798, the year before Hope purchased his famous house in Duchess Street.

The best documented of Hope’s 1798 acquisitions from Storr was a set of four gilt dessert baskets, with arms matching the offered lot (see Thomas Hope: Regency Designer, Bard Graduate Center, 2008, no. 101, pp. 438-39). That form was significant enough for Hope to include it twice in his Household Furniture and Interior Decoration of 1807, suggesting that Storr was making the items to Hope's design.