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拍品专文
This tazza is one of a pair described in the Christie's sale of the Duke of York in March 1827 under lot 27: 'A pair of very rich tazzas, of exquisitely beautiful designs and workmanship; within one is represented the state of mankind before the Flood, and an allusion to the catastrophe by water, in fine relief, and on the outside, Faith, Hope, and Charity, in three compartments with trophies. The stem, of vase shape, is supported by termini, in fine cinque cento taste. Figures playing upon musical instruments and trophies, are upon the foot. The other tazza represents the story of Lot and his daughters, and the destruction of Sodom by fire; the exterior stem and foot are embellished with similar ornaments; weight, 49 oz. 10 dwts. N.B. The lower part of the bowl and the foot, of the former tazza, are modern; made to complete the pair'. This tazza, one of three lots, was also mentioned in The Times' article on the last day of the sale as 'Amongst the most elegant and superb pieces of plate, were some rich tazzas, of highly finished workmanship, manufactured by mr Lewis, his Royal Highness's silversmith and jeweller. These articles excited universal admiration, and great competition was manifested to possess them: they were sold at 30s an ounce, several shillings an ounce beyond the cost price.'
KENSINGTON LEWIS AND EDWARD FARRELL
This tazza was 'embellished' by Edward Farrell, who entered his first mark in 1813 having first worked as an outworker or journeyman. The talented Farrell started collaborating with the retailer and antiquarian, Kensington Lewis sometimes after 1815 when his output appears to be much influenced by antique models. Kensington Lewis, whose passion for 17th-century silver was first demonstrated by his purchases in the Duke of Norfolk's auction in 1816, went on to acquire some important pieces such as the twelve remarkable Aldobrandini Tazze, which he exhibited in 1826. These objects undoubtedly influenced his designs for new silver objects, executed for him by Edward Farrell, as well as for 'refurbishing' objects. John Culme proposed this thesis in his important study, "Kensington Lewis: A Nineteenth Century Businessman" (Connoisseur, September 1975, London, Vol. 100, no. 763 pp. 26-41). An exceptionally rare Jamaican silver-gilt cup and cover by Charles Allan circa 1745 similarly 'embellished' by Edward Farrell circa 1820 was sold from The Orange Blossom Collection, Christie's, New York, 6 April 2023, lot 86.
This reviving of 17th century style is thus very much reflected in the collections of the Duke of York and his elder brother, the Prince Regent (after 1820, King George IV), who patronized Lewis from when he moved to his Saint James's Street premises in 1822. An expert salesman, Lewis was able to channel the Duke of York's profligate spending toward Farrell, a talented silversmith capable of creating new designs from a variety of historical sources. It was this phenomenal collaboration of patron, retailer, and craftsman which resulted in these extravagant and highly original objects.
THE DUKE OF YORK
The Duke of York (1763-1827) was born Prince Fredrick Augustus, second son of King George III. In 1780, at the age of seventeen, he was made Colonel in the Royal Army, beginning his lifelong military career. In 1794, he was created Duke of York and Albany. At the age of 28, he dutifully married Princess Frederica, eldest daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia, although they separated fairly shortly thereafter. At the time of his marriage in 1791 he was said to have had the enormous annual income of £70,000. Following the outbreak of the war with France in 1793, the Duke fought in the Flanders campaigns and became Commander-in-Chief of the Army five years later. In 1809 he was accused of corruption on account of the practices of his mistress, Mary Ann Clark, who profited from her intimacy with the Commander-in-Chief by selling promotions to officers. The scandal forced him to resign for two years, but he was reinstated in 1811.
THE 1827 CHRISTIE'S DUKE OF YORK SALE
When the Duke of York died in 1827, his debts totaled somewhere between £200,000 and £500,000 – the imprecise figure being perhaps an indication of just how chaotic the Duke's financial affairs were at the time of his death. In order to try to satisfy these huge debts, his executors took the unprecedented step of selling a Royal collection at public auction. The Duke of York's silver was offered at Christie's in a four-day sale starting on 19 March 1827. Viewing of the silver was by ticket, and a copy of the catalogue admitted the prospective buyer to the auction itself. At the outset of the sale, James Christie II eulogized the late Duke and was "warmly applauded by the company." No doubt his announcement that the sale "had not a single reserve" was equally well received. The total for the four-day sale of silver was £22,439/10s, while the Duke's arms and armor collection and furniture brought in a further £15,000 or so.
The 1827 Duke of York sale included a number of other works described as being "by Lewis," the most significant being the Hercules candelabrum centerpiece. In addition, there are several more lots of silver that, from their descriptions alone, can confidently be attributed to Farrell and were therefore presumably supplied by Lewis, including this tazza. Unfortunately for Lewis, the death of the Duke of York seems to have led to a rapid decline in his business. Not only did he lose his most important client, but the Duke had owed him £2,300, a debt that took the estate eighteen years to repay. In addition, the bad publicity surrounding the prices fetched at the Duke of York's estate auction – in many cases a quarter or less than those originally charged by Lewis – can hardly have helped his reputation. After a series of bad real estate investments and a short time in debtor's prison, he died in 1854.
AFTER AN ENGRAVING BY SADELER
Jan Sadeler (1550-1600) was an engraver and publisher. Born in Brussels, Jan was the eldest of three brothers, Aegidius I and Raphael I, who all initially trained in their father's workshop as engravers of ornaments on steel and iron, to be inlaid with gold or silver. Later, Jan took on copper engraving, executing plates from the designs of Crispin Van den Broeck. He then travelled first to Antwerp and then Cologne and was from 1588-95 court engraver in Munich with his brother Raphael I. In 1595 both left Munich and moved to Venice via Verona. A prolific engraver, he received an imperial privilege in 1581, renewed in 1593, and a papal privilege circa 1598. Jan died in Venice in 1600 and his son Justus took over the firm there while Raphael I returned to Munich.
The scene featured in the present dish is after one of his engravings dated circa 1580 after a design, Mankind Awaiting the Deluge, by Dirck Barendsz (1534-1592), a Dutch Renaissance painter from Amsterdam who trained in Italy most notably with Titian (see J.R. Judson, Dirck Barendsz, 1970, pp. 126-31, nos. 71-2) and whose works show the influence of Italian imagery.
KENSINGTON LEWIS AND EDWARD FARRELL
This tazza was 'embellished' by Edward Farrell, who entered his first mark in 1813 having first worked as an outworker or journeyman. The talented Farrell started collaborating with the retailer and antiquarian, Kensington Lewis sometimes after 1815 when his output appears to be much influenced by antique models. Kensington Lewis, whose passion for 17th-century silver was first demonstrated by his purchases in the Duke of Norfolk's auction in 1816, went on to acquire some important pieces such as the twelve remarkable Aldobrandini Tazze, which he exhibited in 1826. These objects undoubtedly influenced his designs for new silver objects, executed for him by Edward Farrell, as well as for 'refurbishing' objects. John Culme proposed this thesis in his important study, "Kensington Lewis: A Nineteenth Century Businessman" (Connoisseur, September 1975, London, Vol. 100, no. 763 pp. 26-41). An exceptionally rare Jamaican silver-gilt cup and cover by Charles Allan circa 1745 similarly 'embellished' by Edward Farrell circa 1820 was sold from The Orange Blossom Collection, Christie's, New York, 6 April 2023, lot 86.
This reviving of 17th century style is thus very much reflected in the collections of the Duke of York and his elder brother, the Prince Regent (after 1820, King George IV), who patronized Lewis from when he moved to his Saint James's Street premises in 1822. An expert salesman, Lewis was able to channel the Duke of York's profligate spending toward Farrell, a talented silversmith capable of creating new designs from a variety of historical sources. It was this phenomenal collaboration of patron, retailer, and craftsman which resulted in these extravagant and highly original objects.
THE DUKE OF YORK
The Duke of York (1763-1827) was born Prince Fredrick Augustus, second son of King George III. In 1780, at the age of seventeen, he was made Colonel in the Royal Army, beginning his lifelong military career. In 1794, he was created Duke of York and Albany. At the age of 28, he dutifully married Princess Frederica, eldest daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia, although they separated fairly shortly thereafter. At the time of his marriage in 1791 he was said to have had the enormous annual income of £70,000. Following the outbreak of the war with France in 1793, the Duke fought in the Flanders campaigns and became Commander-in-Chief of the Army five years later. In 1809 he was accused of corruption on account of the practices of his mistress, Mary Ann Clark, who profited from her intimacy with the Commander-in-Chief by selling promotions to officers. The scandal forced him to resign for two years, but he was reinstated in 1811.
THE 1827 CHRISTIE'S DUKE OF YORK SALE
When the Duke of York died in 1827, his debts totaled somewhere between £200,000 and £500,000 – the imprecise figure being perhaps an indication of just how chaotic the Duke's financial affairs were at the time of his death. In order to try to satisfy these huge debts, his executors took the unprecedented step of selling a Royal collection at public auction. The Duke of York's silver was offered at Christie's in a four-day sale starting on 19 March 1827. Viewing of the silver was by ticket, and a copy of the catalogue admitted the prospective buyer to the auction itself. At the outset of the sale, James Christie II eulogized the late Duke and was "warmly applauded by the company." No doubt his announcement that the sale "had not a single reserve" was equally well received. The total for the four-day sale of silver was £22,439/10s, while the Duke's arms and armor collection and furniture brought in a further £15,000 or so.
The 1827 Duke of York sale included a number of other works described as being "by Lewis," the most significant being the Hercules candelabrum centerpiece. In addition, there are several more lots of silver that, from their descriptions alone, can confidently be attributed to Farrell and were therefore presumably supplied by Lewis, including this tazza. Unfortunately for Lewis, the death of the Duke of York seems to have led to a rapid decline in his business. Not only did he lose his most important client, but the Duke had owed him £2,300, a debt that took the estate eighteen years to repay. In addition, the bad publicity surrounding the prices fetched at the Duke of York's estate auction – in many cases a quarter or less than those originally charged by Lewis – can hardly have helped his reputation. After a series of bad real estate investments and a short time in debtor's prison, he died in 1854.
AFTER AN ENGRAVING BY SADELER
Jan Sadeler (1550-1600) was an engraver and publisher. Born in Brussels, Jan was the eldest of three brothers, Aegidius I and Raphael I, who all initially trained in their father's workshop as engravers of ornaments on steel and iron, to be inlaid with gold or silver. Later, Jan took on copper engraving, executing plates from the designs of Crispin Van den Broeck. He then travelled first to Antwerp and then Cologne and was from 1588-95 court engraver in Munich with his brother Raphael I. In 1595 both left Munich and moved to Venice via Verona. A prolific engraver, he received an imperial privilege in 1581, renewed in 1593, and a papal privilege circa 1598. Jan died in Venice in 1600 and his son Justus took over the firm there while Raphael I returned to Munich.
The scene featured in the present dish is after one of his engravings dated circa 1580 after a design, Mankind Awaiting the Deluge, by Dirck Barendsz (1534-1592), a Dutch Renaissance painter from Amsterdam who trained in Italy most notably with Titian (see J.R. Judson, Dirck Barendsz, 1970, pp. 126-31, nos. 71-2) and whose works show the influence of Italian imagery.