John Sandon
Consultant
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Lot 110
An important mixed twist Privateer wine glass for the St Andrew, circa 1760
18 May 2016, 10:30 BST
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £21,250 inc. premium
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An important mixed twist Privateer wine glass for the St Andrew, circa 1760
The bucket bowl engraved with the three-masted ship in full sail flying the ensign, inscribed around the rim 'Success to the St Andrew', on a rare mixed opaque and airtwist stem with two pairs of opaque white spiral threads encircling a multiple airtwist gauze, on a plain conical foot, 15.4cm high
Footnotes
This previously unrecorded glass belongs to a sizeable group of wine glasses with bucket-shaped bowls made for Bristol Privateers. The presence of a mixed twist stem is particularly unusual.
Although not listed by Damer Powell, the St. Andrew was a very active Privateer based in Bristol. In 1759 W Owen published in his Miscellaneous Correspondence a 'List of Ships, taken by the English'. Here it is noted that between April and October 1758, no less than seven foreign vessels were captured by the St. Andrew Privateer of Bristol. For example the records note that...
'The St. Andrew Privateer of Bristol, has sent into Ilfracombe, a sloop from Nantz, laden with Brandy, Wine, Nuts, and Salt; which she took, in Company with the Duke of Cornwall Privateer. The St. Andrew has also retaken the Duke of Marlborough...'
'The L'Hannar, of Dunkirk, with Salt, Brandy, and Rice, brought into Cork, by the St. Andrew Privateer of Bristol...'
'The Jamaica Frigate, Smith, from Jamaica, for London, is retaken by the St. Andrew Privateer of Bristol, and sent into Cork. A smuggling vessel, from Bilbao, by the St. Andrew Privateer, and sent into Bristol...'
The Privateers were in effect officially sanctioned pirate-ships. The 1758 Lists of Ships taken by the English records vessels captured by many other Bristol Privateers including The Defiance and The Eagle, names well known from the series of Privateer wine glasses, all presumably made in Bristol. No other glass for The St. Andrew appears to be recorded.