King of Hanover Inkwell
- Item No.
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Item Details
- Diameter:
10 Inches - Period:
18th Century - Origin:
England/Ireland
The Duke of Cumberland, later Ernst Augustus I, King of Hanover, commissioned this highly important silver-gilt inkwell by John Bridge of the renowned silversmiths Rundell & Bridge, Royal Silversmiths to the Crown. This beautiful piece is fashioned in a water lily motif, exhibiting a subtle naturalistic design. Its stunning provenance is indicated by the engraved King of Hanover coat of arms. This item predates the duke's ascension to the throne of Hanover, as indicated by the initials EDC, for Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, below a coronet carved into the inkwell cover. 10" diameter
Hallmarked 1831
The Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale was the fifth son of King George III, and uncle to Queen Victoria. His ascent to the throne of Hanover was due to his brothers' lack of legitimate heirs and to Salic law, which forbid a woman from becoming a Hanoverian monarch. The monarchies of Britain and Hanover had been linked since 1714, but at this point diverged. Queen Victoria subsequently demanded the return of the large collection of royal plate housed at the Hanoverian palace of Herrenhausen, and Ernst Augustus refused to comply. He instead had all the plate engraved with the initials E.A Fs., for "Ernst Augustus Fidekommis" (entailed to the estate of Ernst Augustus). The collection remained at Herrenhausen until 1924, when it was bought and dispersed by the London firm of Crichton Brothers.
Reference:The Albert Collection: Five Hundred Years of British and European Silver, 2004, Robin ButlerThe Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver, 1988, Timothy B. Schroder
Hallmarked 1831
The Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale was the fifth son of King George III, and uncle to Queen Victoria. His ascent to the throne of Hanover was due to his brothers' lack of legitimate heirs and to Salic law, which forbid a woman from becoming a Hanoverian monarch. The monarchies of Britain and Hanover had been linked since 1714, but at this point diverged. Queen Victoria subsequently demanded the return of the large collection of royal plate housed at the Hanoverian palace of Herrenhausen, and Ernst Augustus refused to comply. He instead had all the plate engraved with the initials E.A Fs., for "Ernst Augustus Fidekommis" (entailed to the estate of Ernst Augustus). The collection remained at Herrenhausen until 1924, when it was bought and dispersed by the London firm of Crichton Brothers.
Reference:The Albert Collection: Five Hundred Years of British and European Silver, 2004, Robin ButlerThe Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver, 1988, Timothy B. Schroder
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