A Set of Eight George IV Silver-Gilt Shell Salts, Edward Farrell, probably retailed by Kensington Lewis, London, 1822

Audrey and Ruxton Love collection, New York, sold;

Christie's New York, 19 October 2004, lot 209

New York: Christie's, Antiquity Revisited: English and French Silver-Gilt from the Collection of Audrey Love, September 1997.

A. Phillips and J. Sloane.  Antiquity Revisited: English and French Silver-Gilt, London, 1997, p. 82, no. 19.

Edward Farrell was probably the most innovative silversmith in the Revivalist style active in England in the early 19th century. He entered his mark in 1813 and by 1820 was working with the retailer Kensington Lewis. Lewis had been buying important antique plate at auction since 1816, and together they created unusual and characterful pieces, particularly for Lewis' main patron Frederick, Duke of York, brother to the Prince Regent.

The angular rockwork bases on these salts relate to the rockwork base used by Farrell in the Hercules candelabrum for the Duke (see literature no. 12, p. 62). The base also relates to a pen and ink drawing for dessert stands, attributed to Edward Hodges Baily, in the Rundell's album at the V&A.