Bonhams 1793 : A George II silver dinner plate, by Paul de Lamerie, the mark P L pellet between, star and crown above, fleur de lys below (see Grimwade 2203), London 1737,

by Paul de Lamerie, the mark P L pellet between, star and crown above, fleur de lys below (see Grimwade 2203), London 1737,
plain circular form with an applied moulded rim, the border engraved on one side with a crest surmounted by an Earl's Coronet and a coat of arms opposite, engraved in script on the underside "No3", also with scratch weight "36=7", diameter 30cm, weight 31.01oz.

Sold for £4,080 inc. premium

Footnotes

The arms are those of Mildmay quartering Fitzwalter with Schomberg on an escutcheon of pretence, for Benjamin Mildmay, 19th Baron Fitzwalter (1672-1756) and Frederica Darcy, eldest daughter and coheir of Meinhardt, third Duke of Schomberg and widow of Robert earl of Holderness. Benjamin Mildmay was created Earl Fitzwalter in 1735.

This plate is from an extensive dinner service purchased by Mildmay from de Lamerie. There are detailed expenditure accounts, now housed in the Essex Records Office, that give fascinating information about Fitzwalter's plate and include an inventory of plate taken at Schomberg House 22 June 1739.

The service was split and a number have appeared for sale, twelve are now in The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. These plates and their apparent 'weight loss' are discussed by Beth Carver Wees, in the catalogue of English, Scottish & Irish Silver at the Institute (See p.152 ff). All pieces of the service show a larger discrepancy between the scratch weight and their current weight than can be explained by wear and tear, in the present lot the difference some 5oz 6dwt. Some plates show up to 15% difference, though this one is 13.8%.

Various reasons have been suggested for the discrepancy, the most logical is that the borders were altered at a later date, as suggested by the cataloguing of a set of twelve plates sold at Sotheby Parke-Bernet, New York, on 26 October 1976 and again on 12 October 1978 and a second course dish sold at Christie's on 15 October 1985. The narrowness of the border creating a cramped space for the armorial further suggests this cause. However, spectrographic analysis of the border undertaken by Anthony Phillips shows the material to be the same as the bulk of the plates and all the plates in the service have the same narrow border. One possible answer is that de Lamerie was charging by the ounce for the set and engraved exaggerated scratch weights.

The present lot presents us with one further anomaly, the hallmarks appear on the crease formed at the edge of the rim. The opinion is that de Lamerie sent the plates to the Assay Office in the flat, and it was decided later to be shaped into the desired bowls or dishes.

Category: Decorative Arts / Silver

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