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Lot 93

A very rare engraved political commemorative opaque twist ale glass, circa 1768-70

1 December 2021, 10:30 GMT

London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £3,570 inc. premium

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A very rare engraved political commemorative opaque twist ale glass, circa 1768-70

The tall round funnel bowl inscribed 'WILKES & LIBERTY.' AND 'No 45.' above a bird flying from an open cage, the double-series stem with two pairs of six-ply bands around a pair of opaque white spiral tapes, over a conical foot, 18.2cm high

Footnotes

Provenance
With Delomosne and Son, 15 November 2010
Patrick and Mavis Walker Collection

John Wilkes (1727-1797) was a controversial MP and journalist who played a critical role in the development of radical politics. He mocked the King's speech at the opening of Parliament in April 1763 in issue 45 of the 'North Briton', a weekly satirical pamphlet published by Wilkes. He was subsequently tried and convicted for seditious libel in 1764 but fled to Paris just before being declared an outlaw. When he returned to England in 1768, he was elected as a Radical Member of Parliament for Middlesex, where most of his support was located. He was imprisoned that May upon waiving his parliamentary privilege and became a political idol during his incarceration. Numerous gifts and trinkets were conveyed to his prison and houses were adorned with ornaments showing their support, many bearing emblems of the Cap of Liberty or a bird flying above a cage. His followers coined the phrase 'Wilkes, Liberty and Number 45'. A very similar ale glass is in the Fitzwilliam Museum (inv. no.C.640-1961).

Additional information

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