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A Victorian silver-gilt and enamelled chalice
by John Hardman & Co, Birmingham 1880 Tapering bowl with applied shaped panels engraved with stylised leaf and trefoil decoration on a stippled ground, hexagonal stem, the central knop with six protruding enamelled circular motifs each bearing a letter, 'I E S U S', the last featuring a cross, spread hexafoil base with engraved trefoil scrolls, one panel set with an enamelled roundel, underside of base with inscription 'Presented by Mrs Liddell in memory of her departed husband Matthew Liddell Esq of Prudhoe Hall, Prudhoe on Tyne Northumberland R.I.P May 31st 1883', height 19.5cm, weight 10.2oz.
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John Hardman & Co first collaborated with A W N Pugin in 1838 and then continued to produce the majority of his designs in silver until his death in 1852. His influence stayed with the firm and they continued to make church plate and domestic silver items in the Gothic taste.The current lot seems to correspond to chalice number 8 in Hardman's circa 1885 catalogue, described as 'Chalice with gilt and enamelled eyes on knop and cross on foot...height in inches 7.5'. In full gilt, like the current example, it cost £17-10-0.Matthew Liddell was the son of Cuthbert Liddell of Benwell Hall, Newcastle and principal owner of Mickley Colliery and other pits. He had Prudhoe Hall built as his family home in about 1870, a staunch Roman Catholic he arranged for a large room in the hall to be used for services. During the 1880s, however, the chapel in the Hall had become too small for its congregation and Mrs Liddell decided to build a church in the grounds of the Hall to accommodate the worshippers. The church was designed by the architect Archibald Dunn. The foundation stone was laid on 8th December 1889 and the building was opened on 16th July 1891.