Description: Important George III Britannia silver candlesticks, Parker & Wakelin London, dated 1768 and 1790, design attributed to Sir William Chambers (1722-1796), leaf-bound urn-form socket, reeded stem applied with husk swags, on stepped base with sweeping reed and bound-leaf band; three engraved with crest of Sir William Bagot, 6th Baronet (1728-1798);
set of four dated 1768 with complete Britannia standard hallmarks: John Parker I & Edward Wakelin (wk. 1760-1776), each marked underneath with scratchweight inventory Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 6; together with later pair made to match with candelabra tops, complete Britannia standard hallmarks, dated 1790 by John Wakelin & William Taylor (wk. 1776-1792), each marked underneath with scratchweight inventory Nos. 1 and 2. Four H11" and two H14 1/2" W12 1/4", and total 230.0ozT
(6pcs)
Provenance: Sir William Bagot, 6th Baronet (1728-1798)
New York collection
Literature: Clifford, Helen. SILVER IN LONDON, THE PARKER AND WAKELIN PARTNERSHIP 1760-1776, Yale, 2004, pp.168-170, 208, and fig.141
Rowe, Robert. ADAM SILVER, 1765-1795. New York: Taplinger, 1965. Fig.71A and 71B
Young, Hilary, introductory essay in the 1997 Somerset House exhibition, SIR WILLIAM CHAMBERS, ARCHITECT TO GEORGE III, SILVER, ORMOLU AND CERAMICS, pp.149-162
Other Notes: These candlesticks relate to an important service made for George Spencer, Duke of Marlborough based on designs by Sir William Chambers. The firm was founded in 1735 by John Wickes. Over its nearly 300 years of history and numerous name changes, the firm is better known today as Asprey & Gerrard or Gerrard & Co. Gerrard was the Crown Jeweler of Great Britian and was charged with the upkeep of the British Crown jewels from 1843 to 2007.
Special thanks to Angela Howard, Heirloom & Howard for research and identification of Bagot crest.