INVERNESS – A RARE PAIR OF SCOTTISH PROVINCIAL SALVERS
JOHN BAILLIE
£6,930
Scottish Works of Art & Whisky
Auction: 17 August 2022 at 11:00 BST
Description
marked I.B, INS, X (dots within angles) of shaped square outline with plain flat and slightly raised flared rim, the four corner bracket feet inswept following the shape of the rim
Dimensions
14cm wide, 10oz
Provenance
Provenance:
Phillips 20th May 1988 lot 111
Private Scottish Collection
Footnote
References and exhibition:
Compendium of Scottish Silver R & J Dietert Volume 2 page 116
Compendium of Scottish Silver II R & J Dietert page 433
Note:
Although not a well-recorded maker, the work of John Baillie of Inverness is universally of a very high standard. It seems fair to say he was the most accomplished silversmith in Inverness in the mid-18th century and received many important commissions. His work is scarce but from what survives we can see a maker of great quality receiving important and fashionable commissions.
Like his contemporaries, he produced several fine quaichs of traditional form and these were likely a mainstay of his larger work. However, his true skill is seen in larger pieces which would not have looked out of place coming from his Edinburgh contemporaries. He produced two hot milk jugs, extremely rare for any Scottish silversmith, let alone provincially made (Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum 01365 and Inverness Art Gallery & Museum 1978.260). Two pairs of mugs are recorded, one within a private collection (‘Exhibition of Scottish Silver’ Royal Scottish Museum August – September 1948 item 331), the other within the National Museums of Scotland collection National Museum Scotland (MEQ 1575 and 1576).
These salvers are the only recorded in Inverness silver by any maker and one of only a very small handful of pairs of provincial examples extant.