An important George III Serving Dish, the design after Paul De Lamerie. Made in London in 1774 by Daniel Smith & Robert Sharp.
An important George III Serving Dish, the design after Paul De Lamerie. Made in London in 1774 by Daniel Smith & Robert Sharp.
154144
The Serving Dish is of an unusual shaped oval form with a bold cast beaded rim interspersed with shell motifs. Each end displays a cast triple shell and scroll carrying handle. This is a design which was produced by the great Paul De Lamerie. The centre of the Dish is engraved with a contemporary Armorial surrounded by a beautiful cartouche of floral and foliate sprays with tied ribbons above. The reverse is engraved with the following contemporary inscription:
The Gift of the Respondentia, Lenders and Underwriters, on the late Ship Lord Mansfield to Captain William Fraser., 2nd July, 1774.
The Inscription refers to the Lord Mansfield, an East Indiaman built in 1772, which foundered in the Bengal river on 7th September, 1773. The dish was obviously a gift of thanks from those described ( the respondentia was a legal term for investors in the cargo.) Although the ship was lost, its valuable cargo was saved.
William Fraser of Ledeclune ( 1737-1818 ) was a Captain in the East India Companys Service. He assumed command of the Lord Mansfield in 1772 and its successor ship, the Earl of Mansfield between 1777 and 1785, trading between India and China. He is celebrated as being the first person to fix longitude at sea through lunar observations. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1791 and created a Baronet in 1806. The Arms on the Dish are those of Fraser and the Baronetcy became extinct sometime after 1960.
The Dish is in excellent crisp condition, with good marks and is of an exceptional weight.
Dimensions:
1774
London
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 Although the ship was lost, its valuable cargo was saved.William Fraser of Ledeclune ( 1737-1818 ) was a Captain in the East India Companys Service. He assumed command of the Lord Mansfield in 1772 and its successor ship, the Earl of Mansfield between 1777 and 1785, trading between India and China. He is celebrated as being the first person to fix longitude at sea through lunar observations. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1791 and created a Baronet in 1806. The Arms on the Dish are those of Fraser and the Baronetcy became extinct sometime after 1960. The Dish is in excellent crisp condition, with good marks and is of an exceptional weight.){kind=link}