Ellis Finch
Head of Knightsbridge Silver Department
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Lot 19
A monumental 19th century Irish silver covered tankard jug John Smyth, Dublin 1874, incuse stamped 'Waterhouse', Helsinki 1928 import marks
13 – 14 July 2022, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £8,287.50 inc. premium
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A monumental 19th century Irish silver covered tankard jug
John Smyth, Dublin 1874, incuse stamped 'Waterhouse', Helsinki 1928 import marks
Of cylindrical form, the hinged domed cover with open scroll thumbpiece, topped by a large cast finial of a traditionally dressed sailor singing, seated on a coiled ship's rope, opening to reveal a cavernous gilt interior, to the exterior a leaf-capped double-scroll handle with acanthus leaf terminal, to the opposite side a flared spout with an embossed classical mask of a bearded male to its base, an applied oval armorial plaque below for the 'LEIGHTON' family and the family motto 'DREAD SHAME', the whole elaborately embossed with flowers, fruit, foliage, diaper-work and 'C' scrolls in both high and low relief, an inscribed cartouche to one side in Finnish to 'Walter Petterson' from 'The Association of Finnish Stevedores', on a domed spreading circular base, height 46cm, diameter 22cm, weight 107oz.
Of cylindrical form, the hinged domed cover with open scroll thumbpiece, topped by a large cast finial of a traditionally dressed sailor singing, seated on a coiled ship's rope, opening to reveal a cavernous gilt interior, to the exterior a leaf-capped double-scroll handle with acanthus leaf terminal, to the opposite side a flared spout with an embossed classical mask of a bearded male to its base, an applied oval armorial plaque below for the 'LEIGHTON' family and the family motto 'DREAD SHAME', the whole elaborately embossed with flowers, fruit, foliage, diaper-work and 'C' scrolls in both high and low relief, an inscribed cartouche to one side in Finnish to 'Walter Petterson' from 'The Association of Finnish Stevedores', on a domed spreading circular base, height 46cm, diameter 22cm, weight 107oz.
Footnotes
The motto DREAD SHAME is for the LEIGHTON family of Wattlesborough Shropshire, who were baronets and include a descendant family of Bausley or Ballesley, co. Montgomeryshire. Notably the motto was used by Revd. Francis Knyvett LEIGHTON (1807-1881) who was descended from Daniel LEIGHTON Lt. Col. of General Evan's Regiment of the Horse and was the younger son of Sir Edward LEIGHTON 1st Baronet.
The very distinctive crest above the motto of 'two hands clasping each other in fess, conjoined at the wrist to a pair of wings all proper' is extremely rare. Only one family uses this crest, albeit in a differenced form: DAY of co. Cork. The crest was confirmed to Richard DAY MD of Auckland New Zealand, Robert DAY of Cork, merchant and Revd. William Tottenham DAY of Youghal.
However, there is a distinct possibility that the heraldic crest could be alluding to a Freemason ritual. In relation to this, a Samuel LEIGHTON KCT PPSGW of Antrim has been discovered, who was a Grandmaster of freemasonry and trustee of the masonic hall in Belfast in this period, up until 1938. This armorial therefore seems to combine the motto of the LEIGHTON family, with a crest associated with the Freemasons and as such seems to logically point to Samuel LEIGHTON of Antrim.
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