Naval Interest. An important George III Serving Dish & Cover made in London in 1807 by Richard Cooke from the collection of Admiral Sir Philip Charles Henderson Calderwood Durham GCB.

The Dish is broad rectangular in form and the base rises to an everted gadrooned rim.  The base is engraved, on both sides,  with a contemporary Crest surrounded by the Motto of the Order of the Bath.  The high domed, stepped, cover is decorated with lobing and rises to an oval platform surrounded by a very unusual border of bold beads.  The cast, stylised heart shaped, handle rests on two raying shell mouldings with scrolls at both ends.  Both sides of the cover are engraved with a contemporary Armorial surrounded by the motto of the Order of the Bath, with a second motto engraved on a banner below.  The heraldic devices are all surrounded by a pluming scroll and laurel leaf cartouche, executed to the highest standard.   The handle and platform are held in place with a series of interior bolts, such is the attention to detailed and all can be removed for cleaning.  The quality of construction can be clearly seen by the interior hammer marks, where the base and cover have been raised by hand.  The Dish is clearly marked on the base, cover and handle and also with a sterling mark on the beaded oval.  This design is extremely unusual and we have only seen it once before also by Richard Cooke, which leads us to conclude that it was a design peculiar to his workshops.  The Armorial, Crest and Motto's are those of Admiral Sir Philip Charles Henderson Calderwood Durham GCB and a portrait, Circa 1830 by Francis Grant, is also shown which is now in the National Galleries of Scotland.  This piece is in quite excellent condition.

Height: 7.3 inches, 18.25 cm

Length: 11.5 inches, 28.75 cm.

Width: 8 inches, 20 cm.

Weight: An outstanding 70oz.

ADMIRAL SIR PHILIP CHARLES HENDERSON CALDERWOOD DURHAM GCB

Philip Charles Durham was born in Largo, Fife, in 1763.  He came from a wealthy landed family and entered the navy in 1777, aged fourteen, aboard the ship of the line, HMS Trident.  In 1778 Durham saw his first action on HMS Edgar during the Great Siege of Gibraltar, later gaining the attention of Admiral Richard Kempenfelt, with whom he served on HMS Victory and HMS Royal George.  Durham then filled a lieutenant's vacancy on HMS Union in which he saw further service at the siege of Gibraltar.  He then spent the next two years living in France become fluent in French.  Afterwards he served on HMS Salisbury and HMS Barfleur.  The emergency in 1790 brought him promotion to Commander on 2nd November 1790 and command of HMS Daphne.  From there he moved in 1791 to HMS Cygnet.

On 12th February, 1793, Durham took command of the small sloop HMS Spitfire and captured the French privateer Afrique.  This was the first capture of the war of a vessel flying La tricolore.  For this Lloyd's of London gave him a piece of plate worth 100 guineas, £ 300, their first such award of the war.  Durham received promotion to post captain on 24th June, 1793 and command of the frigate HMS Narcissus.  In October 1793 he moved to HMS Hind.

In Hind he brought in a convoy of 157 merchant ships from the Mediterranean in the face of enemy opposition.  This feat provoked accolades and rewards and he took over HMS Anson in 1796.  Anson was the biggest frigate in the navy and in her fought numerous actions, especially at the Battle of Donegal in October 1798.  On 28th March 1799 he married Lady Charlotte Matilda Bruce, daughter of Royal governess Lady Elgin and sister of Lord Elgin of Elgin Marbles fame and continued his service in home waters until the Peace of Amiens.  Following the resumption of hostilities, Durham was given HMS Defiance, which he took to join Admiral Sir Robert Calder's fleet in 1804 and participated in the battle of Cape Finisterre.

At the Battle of Trafalgar, Defiance headed straight for the Spanish Flagship Principe de Asturias, but was blocked by the Berwick, a captured British Ship in French Service.  Deliberately ramming her opponent, Defiance tore off most of the French ship's bow, before fighting a gun duel with Aigle as the Berwick sank.  The defiance was unable to gain the upper hand against the Aigle, and so a young master's mate named Jack Spratt swam between the ships and leaped on board, fighting alone against the entire French crew until support could be given from his ship.  The British crew then swarmed across the Frenchman and captured her.  Durham was wounded in the battle.  He took his battered ship back to England and was honoured to be a banner bearer at Nelson's funeral.  Following his recovery, and receipt of the usual awards for a Trafalgar captain, Durham was transferred to HMS Renown which he commanded in the English Channel and the Mediterranean until 1810 when he was made a Rear Admiral.    He was Knighted and created Knight Commander in 1815.  Following his first wife's death in 1816 he married, in 1817, wealthy heiress Anne Isabella Henderson.  In 1819 he was promoted to Vice Admiral.  He was on friendly terms with King George III, who was especially fond of his tall tales, often remarking, "That's a Durham!" when he heard such a tale regardless of the raconteur.

In 1830 Durham became a full admiral and had been conferred as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.  He was elected a Member of Parliament for Queenborough in 1830 and for Devizies in 1834.  He became the naval Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth (1836-39) and was the first naval president of the Army and Navy Club in London.

He added the names Henderson and Calderwood to his own on his second marriage and on inheriting his mother's family estate, respectively.  Following his second wife's death in 1844 he journeyed to Rome and contracted bronchitis.  He died in Naples on 2nd April 1845.  His remains were returned to Largo for burial in the family vault.  His funereal monument is shown in Largo Church.

THE SILVERSMITH RICHARD COOKE

Richard Cooke was free from apprenticeship on 28th June, 1799 when his first and only mark was entered.  He worked closely in the circle of Paul Storr from premises at 3, Carey Street, London.  His work shows a very high standard and he was supplying the Royal retailers, Rundell and Co, as well as Jeffrey's Jones and Gilbert.  He specialised in covered dishes, tea sets and covered cups of semi-classical inspiration and of the finest quality in design and production.

The houses of Admiral Sir Philip Charles Henderson Calderwood Durham, are shown at the end of the image stream.  In the order they are attached, the first is Largo House, Fife, Scotland where he was born and grew up.  The second images is Polton House. Midlothian, which he inherited from his mother and he also lived at Fordel Castle, Fife, which had been inherited by his wife Anne Isabella Henderson, this is shown on the third email.  He also had a residence in Berkeley Square in London's  very fashionable Mayfair, frequented by the upper echelons of the aristocracy during this period.  As you will appreciate the family were fabulously wealthy and the dish would have been used at one, or more, or these residences.