ROYAL. An important George IV Coffee Pot on Lampstand made in London in 1821 by William Elliott.

The Coffee Pot is of baluster form, the main body being decorated with longitudinal flat fluting and a horizontal shell and foliate scroll girdle.  The four cast scroll feet are attached to the main body with triple shell and floral bouquet mouldings.  The spout is decorated with leaf capping on top and underneath with an exceptionally detailed Sea God Mask, with unusual raying surround.  The flat fluted, domed, hinged cover terminates in a fruitwood finial with silver acanthus leaf and ball mount. The leaf capped, ribbed, handle is attached to the top of the Coffee Pot with a beautiful shell moulding.  The main body is engraved, on the front, with the Royal Armorial of H.R.H Prince Frederick, Duke of York & Albany, 2nd son of King George III & Queen Charlotte.  The Armorial is flanked by supporters and the Coronet of a Duke of the Blood Royal is above.

The top of the Lampstand is decorated with flat fluting and the same shell and foliate border, as is seen on the coffee pot.  The cast scroll legs display flower heads, including roses, and scroll feet decorated with shell details.  The central burner displays reeded borders and has a detachable cover.  This would have kept the contents of the Pot hot.  The Stand and the Burner are both engraved with the Crest of England.  This piece is in excellent condition and is very well marked on each of the pieces.  The quality of design is exceptional, which is usually seen from this maker.  This piece is most unusual as the coffee pot can be used without the lampstand, as it has legs.  Coffee Biggins on stands usually have a flat base and can, therefore, not be placed on the table as the hot silver would burn the top of the silver.

Height: 12.5 inches.

Length. handle to spout: 8 inches.

Weight: 66.5 oz.

PROVENANCE:

-  The Collection of H.R.H. The Duke of York & Albany K.G.1821-1827.

-   Christie's - Magnificent Silver & Silver Gilt, The Plate of HRH Duke of York, Christie's, London, 22nd March, 1827 (4th Session), lot 82, £ 57.12.

-   S.J. Shrubsole - New York - August 1967, Exhibition of Royal Silver.

-  With Mary Cooke Antiques Limited - October 2024.

PRINCE FREDERICK AUGUSTUS 

DUKE OF YORK & ALBANY 16th August 1763 - 5th JANUARY 1827.

Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was born at St. James's Palace, the second son of King George III and Queen Charlotte.  A soldier by profession, from 1764 to 1803 he was Prince Bishop of Osnabruck in the Holy Roman Empire.  From the death of his father in 1820, until his own death in 1827, he was heir presumptive to his elder brother King George IV.

Frederick was thrust into the British Army at a very early age and was appointed to high command at the age of thirty, when he was given command of a notoriously ineffectual campaign during the War of the First Coalition, a continental war following the French Revolution.  Later as Commander in Chief during the Napoleonic Wars, he oversaw the re-organisation of the British Army, establishing vital structural, administrative and recruiting reforms for which he is credited with having done "more for the army than any one man has done for it in the whole history of its history".  He did suffer military setbacks in 1799 and was mocked, unfairly, in the rhyme "The Grand Old Duke of York".  He died of dropsy at the home of the Duke of Rutland in 1827 and was interred in the Royal Vault in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.  A painting of the Duke, by Sir Thomas Lawrence is shown in the image stream.