An important George III Silver Gilt Honey Pot and Stand made in London in 1809 by Rebecca Emes & Edward Barnard.
An important George III Silver Gilt Honey Pot and Stand made in London in 1809 by Rebecca Emes & Edward Barnard.
375218
This very rare example is very finely modelled in the form of a dome shaped Skep, or beehive, with the separate straw coils bound with strips of briar or wild rose. A very finely detailed bee, on a flowering rose, covers the apex and can be used as a knob for lifting off the cover, which is held in place by a pin. The main body also displays a little arched door for the bees to enter, such is its detailed design, and the flat slotted base is detachable. This piece also possesses its original stand, with raised rim, decorated with a reed and tie border. The stand and base of the skep are engraved with a double Crest below the coronet of an Earl. All pieces are in excellent condition and all pieces are well marked, even the bee is marked with the sterling mark.
The Crests and Coronet are those as used by Richard Curzon-Howe, 1st Earl of Howe. From 1829 to 1830 he was a Tory Lord of the Bedchamber to King George IV and was appointed GCH in 1830. He was Lord Chamberlain to Queen Adelaide from 1830 to 1831 and again from 1834 to 1837. On his mother's death, in 1835, he inherited her barony. His office gave him considerable influence over the Queen and, through her, King William IV, both of whom liked and admired him.
The Earl of Howe was an important collector of silver and gave Paul Storr numerous commissions. One of his most impressive orders were a set of Wine Coolers, made by Paul Storr, in the form of a Greek krater, the inspiration taken from the Roman Medici Vase form. A pair of the Earl's Coolers on Stands are shown in the image stream, as is an image of the Earl. We also know that Emes and Barnard worked closely with Storr and he brought in their stock when he had trouble finishing orders, as he regarded their quality of production and design, as comparable to his.
Total Height: 5 inches.
Diameter of the base of the skep: 3.95 inches.
Diameter of the plate: 5.5 inches.
Total Weight: 23oz.
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