Duke of Beaufort – A set of four early George III sterling silver second course dishes, London 1760 by William Cripps

Each of shaped circular form with a gadrooned edge. Each engraved to the edge with a quartered coat of arms with the knight of the garter motto, between supporters on the dexter side a panther, argent, spotted with various colours, fire issuing out of his mouth and ears proper, gorged with a collar, and chain pendant, or: on the sinister, a wyvern, vert, holding in his mouth a sinister hand coupé at the wrist proper, all surmounted by a Ducal coronet and with the motto below Mutare Vel Timere Sperno. Each engraved to the reverse No 37 21 OZ 5, No 38 20 Oz 15, No 39 21 oz 10 and No 40 21 Oz 10, also with scratch weights near the marks 23=3, 23=9, 23=9 and 22=11 respectively. Each fully marked. (4)

Diameter – 26.4 cm / 10.4 inches

Weight – 2570 grams / 82.63 ozt

The arms are for France quartering England as borne by the Dukes of Beaufort

For Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort KG (1744 –1803), son of Charles Noel Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort, (1709 – 1756) and Elizabeth Somerset née Berkeley (c. 1713 – 1799). He married Elizabeth Boscawen (1747-1828), daughter of Hon. Edward Boscawen (1711-1761), Admiral of the Blue, on 2^nd January 1766.

Two meat dishes from this service, one of 1759 by William Cripps, the other 1765 by GC were sold Christie’s South Kensington, 16 June 2005, lot 831 (£1200 incl. premium)

Provenance:

Henry, 5th Duke of Beaufort (1744-1803)
and thence by descent to the 8th Duke of Beaufort
A Nobleman; Christie's, 13 June 1895

Thereafter unknown until

A private Anglo-French collection