A Centrepiece Presented to Thomas Fairbairn for Organising the 1857 Manchester

The large and interesting silver gilt trophy of Captain George Welstead, purchased with prize money from the East India Company, 1805, in the form of a footed cup with a separate cover, with two arched scrolling acanthus handles, incised and chased with a band of scrolling vines and a continuous thick garland of flowers suspended by two tied bows around two cartouches, one with a later applied panel showing the coat of arms of the East India Company (a shield surmounted by a helmet, flanked by lion supporters each holding a British standard, motto ‘Auspicio Regis et Senatus Angliæ’), the other with six putti driving a cart pulled by a pair of lionesses, the cover with a collar of pointed leaves and the Welstead family crest (a hind trippant), the foot with an inscription stating ‘A remembrance of the East India Company’s Present, to Captn G. Welstead, of four hundred guineas. June 11, 1805′. Assay marks for WH, London, 1795. English. Condition: repairs to old damage on the stem. Provenance: The collection of Carl De Santis, sold at Christie’s, 17th March 1999, lot 91 Sold subsequently at Sotheby’s 4th November 2011, lot 253 This is a fascinating documentary item. It is not, in itself, a presentation piece of plate. The wording makes it clear that Welstead was presented with money so he must have chosen to buy this piece with some of his prize to remember his success in the future. This also explains why the vase, probably bought second hand, predates the inscription by 10 years and has a later panel with the East India Coat of Arms applied to one side. Unfortunately, the precise reason for the award of 400 Guineas to Welstead in 1805 is not recorded. At this point he was captain of the East Indiaman Euphrates and it is recorded in Shipbuilding & Shipping Record: A Journal of Shipbuilding, Marine Engineering, Dock, Harbours & Shipping, Vol. 68, pp. 134 & 162, that Lloyds of London presented him with a “silver tureen” for successfully refloating the vessel when she had run aground in the Hooghli river. It is quite likely the HEIC rewarded him for this same event. Welstead received several gifts of silver during the course of his incredibly successful career, including having a bespoke presentation centrepiece commissioned for him through a subscription by the grateful officers on his ship circa 1825. A superb design drawing for an extraordinary chinoiserie silver centrepiece, made by the firm of Green, Ward & Co-rivals to Rundell Bridge and Rundell...

A silver cup by Henry Wilkinson, dated 1874, the goblet embossed and chased with seaweed fronds and seashells, applied with twisted and looped ropes around the rim, foot and blank ce...

A Rare and Historic 1859 Elkington Silvered Bronze Victorian Centerpiece with Cut-Glass Bowl. Presenting a magnificent Victorian silvered bronze centerpiece of unmatched rarity and importance, crafted by the renowned Elkington Mason Co., Birmingham, in 1859. This exceptional work, complete with its original cut-glass bowl, epitomizes 19th-century British craftsmanship and artistry. Hallmarked to the base, this centerpiece showcases intricate sculptural details, embodying a high level of technical prowess and aesthetic refinement characteristic of Elkington's celebrated works. The centerpiece's striking design features three meticulously rendered figures—a young hunter, a friar, and a fishmonger—each embodying elements of Victorian life and industry. At their feet, a loyal spaniel and various game highlight the naturalistic approach to the composition, enhanced by the masterful chasing and dynamic form. This sculptural ensemble rests on an elaborately decorated base, exuding both grandeur and narrative depth. Adding profound historical value are two engraved plaques. The first, dated “January 28, 1859,” reads: “Presented to William Johnson Esq. as a token of respect esteem by the workpeople in the employ of Messrs Richard Johnson Brother, Manchester.” The second, an inscription from 1941, states: “Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers, Alias Wire Workers of the City of London, Presented by Arthur Laurence Johnson M.A., Grandson of William Johnson, both Wire Workers, with his Daughter Eleanor Morton Johnson, a Freeman of the Company, to commemorate his Mastership 1941-42.” These inscriptions chart a rich lineage, connecting the Johnson family to pivotal moments in industrial history. William Johnson, alongside his brother Richard, assumed leadership of a wire-drawing firm in 1838, which would later become Richard Johnson Nephew Ltd. Their contributions included providing galvanized armored wire for the historic 1857 transatlantic telegraph cable...

Centerpiece in bronze and glass. Lost wax casting of bronde. It is cup-shaped, with the base made of four bamboo canes joined with a cord and decorated with flowers and leaves, the...