Footnotes

The arms are those of William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale (1757-1844), who was so created on 7 April 1807, becoming a Knight of the Garter a few months later on 18 July. He was married on 12 July 1781 at St. James's, Westminster, to Augusta (1761-1838), eldest daughter of John Fane, 9thEarl of Westmorland, by whom he had six children. He died at York House, Twickenham, near London, at the age of 86.

This sconce is one of the six sold as a set in the Lonsdale sale at Christie's, London, 19 February 1947, lot 159. In the catalogue description, two of the back plates bore the maker's mark 'IN', a bird below, and the London date letter for apparently 1668, and the remainder bore the mark of a crowned 'S' apparently for Charles Shelley and dated from circa 1670. This mark has now been attributed to the goldsmith Robert Smythier, whose mark can be found on multiple pieces of Royal plate. These four were also fitted with Britannia standard branches, pans and nozzles and the applied Earl's coronets bore the maker's mark of Paul Storr. This example on offer here is one of this group of four.

It seems likely that the group of six were sold by the Royal Household to Rundell, Bridge and Rundell to cover the costs of the new court silver produced to furnish Kensington Palace. Rather than melting down the silver, the Rundell's sold the most important pieces to their regular customers. The Earl of Lonsdale was one such customer, the maker's mark of Paul Storr to the coronet assists this theory, as Storr was Rundell's chief silversmith in this period.

Provenance:
Likely supplied to Charles II circa 1670.
Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, purchased from the Royal Jewel Office between 1808 and 1823.
William Lowther, 1st Viscount Lowther later 1st Earl Lonsdale (1757-1844), then by descent.
The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Lonsdale; Christie's, London, 19-20 February 1947, lot 159 (as set of six).
With E.& C.T. Koopman & Son Ltd., London.
1000 Ways of Seeing: The Private Collection of the late Stanley J. Seeger, Sotheby's London, 5th March 2014, lot 497.
Arts of Europe, Sotheby's, London, 6th November 2014, lot 29.