ROYAL AND HISTORICAL INTEREST: a good George III silver-gilt 'Egyptian style' coffee pot / bigg...

ROYAL AND HISTORICAL INTEREST: a good George III silver-gilt 'Egyptian style' coffee pot / biggin on stand Digby Scott & Benjamin Smith II, London 1805 Hinged cover, with flower finial, the cylindrical neck with upswept pouring lip, large anthemion and petalled flower to the front, above a broad band of upright palmettes and scrolls among a matted ground, plain flared hemispherical body, engraved to the front with the Royal arms of King George III, the rim later engraved with the inscription 'Presented by His Majesty George the Third to Mr Pitt' 'Bequeathed by Lady Hester Stanhope Niece to Mr Pitt to Her Friend General Paul Anderson' Below is a stylised Greek key band with diamond and bead motifs, plain curved lower body on a ribbed collet foot, on a triangular stand, with a circular receiver for the pot, below are three winged Sphinx monopodiae hoofed supports, the removable covered burner in a circular receiver supported within a triangular band with chevron motifs, the base with incurved sides, on foliate bracket feet with bun supports, the burner, burner cover and base each engraved with the Royal badge, the ivory handle with fruit and berry upper junction and acanthus scroll lower junction terminating with a flower head, height 33cm, weight total 72oz. Footnotes: The coffee pot on offer here was 'bequeathed' to General Paul Anderson by Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope. Anderson sought to have this coffee pot inscribed, so preserving a record of its history. The inscription records and suggests that this pot was previously gifted from King George III to William Pitt, then to his niece Lady Hester Stanhope. The accompanying three letters present in this lot includes the draft / copy letter by General Anderson to Lord Stanhope dated 19th June 1840, in this Anderson makes reference to having an inscription engraved on the coffee pot, ('...I called...to look at the coffee pot...as I wished to have something on which I could have an inscription engraved and find it would exactly do...'). In another letter this lot was gifted to General Anderson from Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope. It would appear Anderson received the silver-gilt coffee-pot from Lady Hester Stanhopes estate in 1844. In 1806, George IV, as Prince of Wales, commissioned 'The Grand Service' from the royal goldsmiths, Rundell, Bridge and Rundell and included pieces made by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith II. The Egyptian style was the height of fashion in Regency England and pieces form part of the service. It is possible that the present lot, a silver-gilt coffee-pot with its Egyptian style winged female monopodiae with hoof feet, rich gilding was intended to be part of that service. Our piece is hallmarked for 1805, whilst William Pitt was Prime Minister and just a year before his death on 23rd January 1806. Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith's partnership was active between 1802 and 1807. Together they entertained a workshop at Greenwich, supplying many of their works directly to Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, royal goldsmith from 1797. Including items for 'The Grand Service'. 'The Grand Service' held in the Royal Collection is formed of over 4000 pieces remains in use to this day and is placed on the table for State Banquets at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, as well as for other official and ceremonial events. This lot is accompanied with three letters, relating to the estate of Lady Hester Stanhope and General Anderson. (i) an autographed letter signed ('Mahon') addressed Grosvenor Place, Nov 19 1844, Lord Mahon to General Paul Anderson. ('My dear General Having by an offer to the administrators which they accepted, obtained possession of those trinkets of my aunt Lady Hester which were opened the other day in our presence. I now beg leave in my fathers' name to send what seemed the most considerable among them, namely the silver-gilt coffee-pot, as a keepsake of Lady Hester to her best surviving friend. I shall be very glad if this little token should as I hope be interesting to you, ... my dear General your very faithful servant Mahon') (ii) an autographed letter signed ('Stanhope') Lady Hester's brother, addressed No 14 Stanhope Street, June 15th 1840, Lord Stanhope to General Paul Anderson. Addressing issues and distribution of relics from Lady Hester's estate. Referencing the coffee pot and the wishes of Lord Stanhope to keep for himself a locket containing Mr Pitt's hair and proposing to offer the gold powder horn to the Duke of Buckingham. (iii) a draft / copy letter from General Anderson to Lord Stanhope dated 19 Jun 40. In this letter Anderson makes reference to having an inscription engraved on the coffee pot. Written with his left hand due to being wounded whilst in Egypt at the Battle of Alexandria, when he was shot in his right arm necessitating him writing with his left hand for the rest of his life. ('My Lord I delayed answering your Lordships very obliging letter of the 15th...I called on Ms Coutts to look at the coffee pot...as I wished to have something on which I could have an inscription engraved and find it would exactly do...') Provenance: Lieutenant-General Paul Anderson CB, (1767-1851) of Waterford; thence by descent to the present owner. The accompanying private letters show this lot was gifted to General Anderson from the estate of Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope. In our letter (i) General Anderson is offered the gift of a silver-gilt coffee-pot and stand which was sent to him by Lord Mahon ('... as a keepsake of Lady Hester to her best surviving friend'). Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope (1776-1839), traveller, writer, and archaeologist Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope was born into one of the most powerful political families in Britain. Hester was granddaughter of William Pitt the elder, 1st Earl of Chatham, eldest daughter of Charles Stanhope, Lord Mahon, the 3rd Earl Stanhope and niece of William Pitt the younger. For a brief period Lady Hester Stanhope was at the heart of British politics, living with her uncle, the Prime Minister William Pitt the younger, at Walmer Castle and in London at Downing Street from 1803 until his death in 1806. Lady Hester, who enjoyed life as a young woman of privilege, was intelligent and confident, with a sharp wit and interests that extended far beyond typical genteel pursuits. Pitt once said of her 'I wish my generals had an ounce of the wit and intelligence of my niece.' After a brief peace with France Hester travelled in Europe on the Grand Tour, returning to England in July 1803. Not wanting to say with her eccentric father and upon the death of her grandmother Hester was invited by her uncle, William Pitt the younger, to come and live with him at Walmer Castle. Whilst there, Hester was responsible for the new landscaping to the rear of the castle. Which later evolved into the magnificent gardens that currently exist. Here and later in London when Pitt returned as Prime Minister at Downing Street, she was at the heart of power, becoming his 'hostess' and trusted confidante, mixing with the high and mighty of contemporary society, gaining political insight, and exercising power and influence. She was often with him on business, his life became hers, as she confessed in a letter in January 1804 'I cannot pretend to tell you what will become of me this winter, as it will all depend upon Mr Pitt's plans, which you know circumstances must govern.' With many of her so-called friends abandoning her after Pitt's death and that of the latest love of her life, General Sir John Moore at Corunna in Spain in 1809. These were emotional blows. She kept Moore's bloodstained glove, brought back from Corunna For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing