THE HOLLAND HOUSE CHARGER. An extremely fine George III Charger made in London in 1805 by Burwash & Sibley.

The Charger is of a large size and displays a shaped gadrooned edge. The border is also engraved with a contemporary Crest, below the Coronet of a Baron. The size of this piece lends itself to a variety of uses in the dining room. The Crest is that as used by Henry Richard Vassall-Fox, 3rd Baron Holland of Holland and 3rd Baron Holland of Foxley - 21st November 1773-22nd October, 1840. The 3rd Baron was an English politician and a major figure in Whig politics in the early 19th century. He was a grandson of the famous politician Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, and nephew of the even more famous Charles James Fox. He served as Lord Privy Seal between 1806 and 1807 and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1830 and 1834 and between 1835 and his death in 1840. In 1797 he married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Richard Vassall Esq. As a result of his marriage, Lord Holland, afterwards, assumed the surname of Vassall. A painting of the 3rd Baron is attached, painted in 1795 by Francois-Xavier Fabre.



HOLLAND HOUSE



Holland House, originally known as Cope Castle, was a great house in Kensington in London, situated in what is now Holland Park. It was created in 1605 in the Elizabethan or Jacobean style for the diplomat Sir Walter Cope. The building later passed to the Fox family, under whose ownership it became a noted gathering place for Whigs in the 19th century. The house was largely destroyed by German firebombing during the Blitz in 1940. Today only the east wing and some ruins of the ground floor still remain.



Under the 3rd Baron Holland and his wife Elizabeth, the house became noted as a glittering social, literary and political centre with many celebrated visitors such as Byron, Benjamin Disraeli, Charles Dickins and Sir Walter Scott. This Charger would have been almost certainly used at one of these gatherings. Images are shown of Holland House and the bomb destroyed shell of the library. In 1939 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth attended the debutant ball of Rosalind Cubitt, the last great ball which was to ever be held at the house.



The Charger is in excellent condition and is very well marked.



Diameter: 13 inches, 32.5cm.

Weight: 35oz.