Miscellaneous

Lot 3910    SESSION 14 (4.30PM THURSDAY 21ST NOV)    Miscellaneous

Estimate $4,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

GEORGE III, pair of sterling silver old English pattern dessert spoons, hallmarked for London, 1781, maker George Smith III, (weight 73.6g), 170mm long, engraved with the Oxley crest, (2); set of six fiddleback dessert spoons, hallmarked for Dublin, 1781, maker MS, (weight 249g), 190mm long, engraved with the Meehan crest, (6); set of six old English pattern dessert spoons, hallmarked for London, 1777 (one piece 1778), maker William Sumner & Richard Crossley, (weight 210g), 175mm long, engraved with JE monogram, (6); old English pattern table spoon, hallmarked for London, 1771, maker Philip Roker III, (weight 69g), 220mm long, engraved with JSB monogram; pair of old English pattern table spoons, hallmarked for London, 1783, maker Richard Crossley, (weight 136g), 220mm long, engraved with lion and fleur-de-lis crest, (2); sterling silver fiddleback dessert spoon, hallmarked for Calcutta, (1818-1829), maker Twentyman & Co, (weight 51.3g), 175mm long, engraved with a boar's head crest; pair of sterling silver fiddleback teaspoons, hallmarked for Calcutta, (1812-1820), maker Hamilton & Co, (weight 48g), 140mm long, engraved with a boar's head crest; sterling silver fiddleback serving spoon, hallmarked for Calcutta, (1818-1829), maker Twentyman & Co, (weight 68g), 225mm long, engraved with a boar's head crest. Good very fine - extremely fine, in original condition and a rare series of colonial spoons engraved by Samuel Clayton. (21)

The first two spoons ex John Williams Auctions, 30 October 2006, lot S181 (part), the Ruth Pope Collection. Previously the collection of Eleanor Oxley.

John Oxley arrived in the colony in 1812. He was Surveyor General of NSW, 1812-1828. Explorer and land owner. Samuel Clayton of Sydney is reported to have supplied silverware
to John Oxley and the engraving on these spoons is attributed to him.

The six Meehan crest dessert spoons ex John Williams Auctions, 21 January 2008, lots S176 and S203, the Ruth Pope Collection. Previously the collection of Eleanor Oxley.

It is believed that these spoons have been "modernised" locally to the fiddleback pattern and engraved with the
crest of James Meehan.

James Meehan was a convicted Irishman who was transported to Sydney in 1800. He was eventually pardoned and became
Deputy Surveyor General in 1806.

The six JE monogram spoons ex John Williams Auctions, 21 January 2008, lot S206, the Ruth Pope Collection. Previously the collection of Eleanor Oxley.

The JE monogram on these spoons attributes the ownership to James Erskine, a Colonel who arrived in Sydney in 1817 and was sworn as Lieutenant Governor shortly after.

The table spoon ex John Williams Auctions, 30 October 2006, lot S181 (part), the Ruth Pope Collection. Previously the collection of Eleanor Oxley.

The monogram attributes ownership of this spoon to James Bowman who was appointed principal surgeon of the colony in 1819 and married Mary Macarthur in 1823. He served in the NSW Legislative Council from 1823-1825.

The two table spoons ex John Williams Auctions, 30 October 2006, lot S181 (part), the Ruth Pope Collection. Previously the collection of Eleanor Oxley.

The lion crest is provisionally attributed to George Allen who was the son of Dr Richard Allen, physician to George III. He arrived in 1816 and was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 1822. He was the first solicitor who had received legal training in the colony and founded the oldest legal firm in Australia.

The boar's head crest dessert spoon ex Aalders Auctions 2 February 2019, lot 86.

The boar's head crest is attributed to Robert Campbell Jnr and the dates of import match those of the Oxley family silver in the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Samuel Clayton's engraving matches that on this piece. Robert Campbell Jnr was a significant merchant, pastoralist and politician in the colony.

The boar's head crest teaspoons ex Aalders Auctions 3 February 2019, lot 293. Attributed to Robert Campbell Jnr.

The boar's head crest serving spoon ex Aalders Auctions 7 April 2019, lot 270. Attributed to Robert Campbell Jnr.

With detailed research.