The Edith & Stuart Cary Welch Collection

A late 17th century shagreen-cased silver travelling set, Thomas Tysoe, London, circa 1690

VAT reduced rateUK: Greenford Park Warehouse

Auction Closed

October 25, 12:38 PM GMT

Estimate

15,000 - 25,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

comprising a spoon, fork, knife (with later blade), double-spice box and beaker in fitted shagreen case, each piece richly engraved with scrolling foliage and flowers, the beaker and spice box also with putti, the beaker crested, marked on base of cup, inside each side of spice box, the spoon and fork

height of case 17cm. (6 1/2in.)

313gr., 10oz.

A similar cutlery set by this maker is in the Victoria & Albert Museum (m. 62-1949), illustrated Charles Oman, English Silversmith's Work, pls.91 and 92. Another by this maker was sold at Sotheby's, London, 3 December 1970, lot 248, and a spice casket by the same maker is illustrated Eric Delieb, Silver Boxes, p.77 and on the dust jacket.

The engravings may be derived from Simon Gribelin, whose designs first appeared in London in 1682 (Yvonne Hackenbrock, 'Gribelin's Designs Engraved on English Silver' Connoisseur, 168, no.676 (1986), pp.136-144). Efforts to identify the engraver suggest it may be the unidentified master H.R., who was responsible for the richly decorated table top in the Queen's Collection. The characteristic motif is thought to be the tightly composed acanthus leaves with pinecone borders (Ellenor Alcorn, English Silver in the MFA Boston, Vol.1, 1993, pp.181-2).