A Rare Set Of Six American Silver Wine Coasters With Profiles Of George Washington, Harvey Lewis, Philadelphia, circa 1810

with gadroon rims, the bombé sides bright-cut and engraved with running grapevine, also with foliate script initials CLK in octagonal reserve, the turned wood bases centered by silver discs with applied profile of George Washington in military uniform

Sold, Sotheby's, New York, 27 January 1989, lot 893

good condition
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.

Profiles of George Washington appear on spoons and forks made by Thomas Harland of Norwich Connecticut, dated in the Winterthur catalogue, 1805, catalogue numbers 83 and 85.  In the same collection are a pair of shoe buckles, each with two profiles of Washington, dated circa 1800, catalogue no. 67.

Harvey Lewis' originality is shown with the well-known inkstand with feet in the form of sphinxes wearing feathered headdresses, made circa 1815, and now in the Garvan Collection at Yale.  The script mark used on the coasters may be an earlier mark, possibly used before his partnership with Smith.  Their jont mark is also in script.  His later mark in Roman letters appears after the break-up of the partnership in 1811.  The style of these coasters would tend to support this dating, for in English silver they would date from about 1800.  Coasters are extremely rare in American silver before the mid nineteenth century.  The only hitherto recorded pair is the well know pair by Myer Myers in the New York Historical Society, illus. Jeanette Rosenbaum, Myer Myers, Goldsmith, 1723-1795, pl. 11, p. 77