A rare George III silver presentation bugle, possibly William Pitts, London, 1801

typical form with unmarked mouthpiece, alternate copper and brass pitch lowering crook, engraved with a family crest and coat-of-arms, retail mark for William Shaw, London, 1801

Engraved with the arms for Major General William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1770-1825). 

The body is bright with various small nicks and bruises. The rim of the trumpet is bruised and slightly misshapen. The applied band around the trumpet is coming away slightly. Clearly hallmarked.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

William Craven, 7th Baron Craven of Hampsted Marshall, succeeded to the title upon the death of his father in 1791. He began his military career in the Berkshire Militia in 1786 before joining the Army in 1793. He served as aide-de-amp to King George III from 1798 until 1805, when he was promoted to the rank of Major General. Meanwhile, on 18 June 1801 he was created Viscount Uffington, co. Berkshire, and Earl of Craven, co. York, (the same year in which he was presented with the bugle in this lot). In 1807 he married Louisa Brunton, a prominent actress, before serving as Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire from 1819 until his death in 1825.

Bugles of this type in solid silver are extremely rare especially bearing the maker's mark for William Pitts who specialised in ornate cast and chased works in the neo-classical and neo-rococo styles. On 21 December 1799 Pitts recorded his fourth mark alone at 15, Little Wild Street, Lincolns Inn Fields, a few minutes walking distance of William Shaw of Shaw & Sons, trumpet and horn makers, 21, Red Lion Street, Holborn. It is possible if not probable that the bugle was commissioned in silver by Lord Craven through Shaw and Sons and then outsourced to Pitts as a nearby and very reputable silversmith.