Royal, An important William IV Inkstand made in London in 1835 by Charles Fox II

View Similar Items

William IV silver inkstand

Silver Gilt Inkstand by William Bateman II

George IV Bachelor Inkstand Made in Sheffield by Thomas & James Settle, 1822

George III Three Bottle Inkstand Made in London in 1810 by Emes & Barnard

C F A Voysey Attri, Made by Richard Rathbone, an Arts & Crafts Copper Inkstand

Antique William IV Sterling Silver Presentation Cup, London, England, 1835

Silver & Enamel Film Inkstand by Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company London 1940

Victorian Period Sterling Silver Footed Cherub-Motif Inkstand By William Comyns

Antique Sterling Silver Inkstand, London 1901, Gallery Border

Fine Antique George II Double Partners Inkstand

20th Century Italian Sterling Silver Inkstand, hHandicraft made in Italy

Antique Silver Inkstand Inkwell, London 1899 Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 15

Royal, An important William IV Inkstand made in London in 1835 by Charles Fox II

About the Item

This highly important and exceptional Royal Inkstand was made in London in 1835 by the very fine silversmith Charles Fox II. The Inkstand is of a large size and broad rectangular in form, with up curved sides and rounded corners. This piece stands on four cast shell feet and displays bat wing fluted mouldings where they are attached to the main body. This piece is fitted with a central cylindrical container for wax wafers, with unusual taper stick and conical extinguisher above. The wafer container stands between two cylindrical inkwells, all with removable covers. The underside of the taper stick is engraved with "Presented by H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth Langravine of Hesse Homburg to William Basil Percy, Earl of Denbigh, Master of the Horse to the Queen, July 18th 1836." The Inkstand bears the Armorials of both Princess Elizabeth Langravine and the 7th Earl of Denbigh. The main body shows the Armorials of the Langrave of Hesse-Homburg, which are borne accollee with those of a differenced shield of the Arms of Great Britain and Ireland, these are below the Coronet of a Princess of the Blood Royal. The Armorials pertaining to the 7th Earl of Denbigh are also borne accollee, but with those of Mary Kitty Elizabeth, Countess of Denbigh and the eldest daughter of the 1st Earl of Ducie, all below the coronet of an Earl. The central wafer container is also engraved with the Arms of Denbigh. The inkwells are each engraved with the Crest and Motto of Denbigh and a German Crest of a palm tree with weights suspended from its branches, for Princess Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth Langravine of Hesse-Homburg was the third daughter of King George III & Queen Charlotte of Great Britain. The Inkstand was presented to the 7th Earl of Denbigh whilst he was in the Royal Household of Her Majesty Queen Adelaide, as her Master of Horse, a prestigious position he held from 1834-1837. Queen Adelaide was the Queen Consort of William IV, 3rd son of George III. The Inkstand is in excellent condition and is of the finest quality in terms of design and production. This is no surprise, as the Fox family were considered some of the finest London silversmiths of the Georgian period, before the onset of Victorian mass production. This quality is reinforced by the fact that it is fully marked in a total of twelve places. Items of Royal silver linked to Queen Adelaide are very rare, however pieces engraved with the Arms of H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth, are exceptionally rare. Further details concerning the 7th Earl, as well as Princess Elizabeth, are shown below. Measures: Length 12.5 inches, 31.25cm. Width 8 inches, 20cm. Height, to the top of the taper stick, 4.75 inches, 11.88cm. Weight: 42oz. H.R.H. PRINCESS ELIZABETH LANDGRAVINE OF Hesse HOMBURG Images of the Princess are shown. She was born at Buckingham House, now Buckingham Palace, on 22nd May, 1770, the seventh child and 3rd daughter of King George III & Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Princess's upbringing was very sheltered, however in 1812 she purchased the Priory at Old Windsor, in Berkshire, as her private residence. Although she longed for marriage, she was determined to enjoy her life by exploring and developing her varied interests and hobbies. Elizabeth was a talented artist, producing several books of her own engravings to benefit various charities. During a ball in the British Court in 1814, Elizabeth got to know the German Prince Frederick of Hesse-Homburg. When Elizabeth saw the Austrian officer in his elegant Hussars uniform, she is supposed to have said, "If he is single, I will marry him!" Four years later, Elizabeth received a letter indicating that Frederick was asking for her hand in marriage. The wedding took place on 7th April, 1818, in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace. On 20th January, 1820, Frederick succeeded his father as the Landgrave of Hesse Homburg. Thanks to Elizabeth's dowry, and annual allowance, he was able to remodel the palace in Homburg. She died on 10th January, 1840 and is buried in the Mausoluem of the Landgraves, Homburg, Germany. William Fielding, 7th Earl of Denbigh, 1796-1865 William Basil Percy Fielding, 7th Earl of Denbigh GCH PC was born on 15th March, 1796 and was styled Viscount Fielding between 1799 and 1800. Fielding was the eldest son of William Fielding, Viscount Fielding and his wife Ann Catherine Powys. He was born at Berwick House (his maternal grandparents' family seat) near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and educated at Eton and Trinity College Cambridge, where he graduated MA in 1816. In 1799, Fielding's father died and his grandfather also a year later, whereupon Fielding inherited the latter's titles. From 1830, Lord Denbigh was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to William IV. In 1833, he was made a GCH, admitted to the privy Council and transferred to Queen Adelaide's Household, first as her Lord Chamberlain, then as the prestigious Master of the Horse. He was made a D.L. for Warwickshire in 1825 and received an honorary degree from Oxford University as DCL in 1835. Lord Denbigh married Lady Mary Elizabeth Kitty Moreton, daughter of Thomas Reynolds-Moreton, 1st Earl of Ducie, on 8th May, 1822 and together they had eleven children. Lord Denbigh died in 1865 and his titles passed to his eldest son, Rudolph. Master of the horse The 7th Earl of Denbigh was Master of the Horse to Queen Adelaide. This was a very prestigious position in the Sovereign's Household. The master of the Horse was the third dignitary of the Court and was always a member of the ministry, a Peer amd a privy councillor. All matters connected with the horses and formerly also the hounds of the sovereign, as well as the stables and coach houses, the stud, mews and previously the kennels, are within his jurisdiction. Newnham Paddox, seat of The Earl's Of Denbigh In 1754-1768 Lancelot "Capability" Brown built a large mansion house for the fifth and sixth Earls. At the same time Brown laid out landscaped gardens. The house, which was further substantially developed in the nineteenth century, was demolished in 1952 after receiving water damage resulting from the thawing of frozen pipes at a time when the family was hit by heavy death duties. The grand gates, stables and Brown's landscaped gardens remain and the current Earl still lives in a house in the grounds. Images are shown of an early photographs of the 7th Earl as well as his seat, Newnham Paddox House, prior to demolition. An additional image shows the contents being removed for auction before the demolition. This is when we conclude that the Inkstand left the family and came onto the market.

Dimensions:
Height: 4.75 in (12.07 cm)Width: 12.5 in (31.75 cm)Depth: 8 in (20.32 cm)
Style:
William IV (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Silver
Place of Origin:
Europe
Period:
1830-1839
Date of Manufacture:
1835
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. An exceptionally rare piece in excellent crisp condition.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU978121872772