Lot 421: A VICTORIAN SILVER PILGRIM FLASK

MARK OF ROBERT GARRARD, LONDON, 1868
Of typical form, on spreading oval foot, the partly-fluted body applied with two Silenus mask handles, with detachable partly-fluted baluster-shaped cover hung with chains, the body engraved with a coat-of-arms, the foot with presentation inscription, marked on body and cover
31 1/4 in. (79.5 cm.) high
The inscription reads, 'Presented to William Jones Loyd. And Gertrude Loyd. On the celebration of their silver wedding by Lord Overstone. 21. June. 1873'

Samuel Jones Loyd (1793-1883) was created 1st Baron Overstone of Overston and Fotheringay, co. Northampton in 1850. He succeeded his father as head of the family bank, Jones, Loyd and Co., in 1844. He was one of the main contributors to the Bank Charter Act of 1844 and was a vociferous opponent to the decimalisation of the currency. He supported the poor-law reforms and was chairman of the Irish Famine Committee. He married Harriet, daughter of Ichabod Wright of Mapperley Hall, co. Nottingham, in 1829. He died in 1883 leaving an only daughter Harriet and an estate which was valued at over 2 million pounds, which was in addition to land amounting to 30,000 acres.

The form of the 'pilgrim flask' has its roots in the leather water flask carried by the pilgrim or traveller of the Middle Ages. T. Schroder in The Gilbert Collection of Silver and Gold, Los Angeles, 1988, p. 455, traces the development of the form to French silver examples of the late 16th century; although described as 'flagons' they have the same pear-shaped form, elongated neck and oval section of later examples. A rare French Renaissance example, with dragon-shaped chain attachments, engraved with the arms of King Henri III, is preserved in the chapel of the Order of the Saint-Esprit, Paris (Carl Hernmarck, The Art of European Silversmith, 1430-1830, London, vol. II, p. 97, pl. 292). Popular until the end of the 16th century, a revival of their manufacture took place in the 1660s. Particularly grand flasks with fine cut-card work were produced in the late 17th and early 18th century. A fine example by Anthony Nelme, dated 1715, is in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth, Derbyshire. Another bearing the arms of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough, by John Goode is in the collection of Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire. Contemporary prints, such as Martin Engelbrecht's representation of the great silver buffet in the Rittersaal at the Berlin Schloss, circa 1708, indicate that they were arranged on side buffets during formal banquets. When placed in wine cisterns, they also served to decant wine

These late 17th early 18th century examples provided the inspiration for Edward Farrell and Robert Garrard in the 19th century. These revival pieces were also used as grand display plate. Many of the examples by Garrard were presented by the Royal Families of Europe, such as those exhibited, London, Sotheby's, English Silver Treasures from the Kremlin, 1991, no. 111 which were given by the Royal Families of Greece and Denmark to the Tsar Alexander III on his marriage to Marie Fedorovna in 1866.

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