Lot 423
A QUEEN ANNE TABLESPOON
Auction: 12 August 2015 at 15:00 BST
Description
Alexander Kincaid, Edinburgh 1713, Assay Master Edward Penman, with additional Breadalbane collector's mark, of Hanoverian pattern with engraved initials 'GD / MA' to reverse of terminal and long rat tail to bowl
Dimensions
Length: 20cm, 71.4g
Footnote
Provenance:
Gavin Campbell 1st Marquess and 7th Earl of Breadlabane Collection,
Christies Manson & Woods, 12th May 1926, lot 19 (part)
Note:
Perhaps the earliest collector of Scottish silver was Gavin, 1st Marquess and 7th Earl of Breadalbane, who built up an unrivalled collection of objects and spoons. This collection, while now dispersed, is perhaps the best known of the period, not by its contents alone but by the unique applied collector's mark used on all the pieces, 'Breadalbane' in script struck incuse. Many of these marks formed the main reference for the Scottish sections in Sir Charles Jacksons first (and later) edition of 'English Goldsmith's and their marks' in 1905.
The silver collection was split and sold in two main portions in 1926 and 1935 (other collections and castle contents were sold separately over various sales), however it is known items were bequeathed in his will so while these sales represent a large proportion of the original group they likely do not illustrate the full extent.