Duke of Portland - A George III sterling silver chamberstick, London 1776 by John Alderhead (reg. 23rd April 1750)

Of circular form with a gadrooned edge and a C scroll handle, the knopped capital with a gadrooned edge. Engraved to the front with a quartered coat of arms within a robe of estate surmounted by a ducal coronet and the motto below Craignez Honte. Engraved underneath No and with scratch weight 16”12. Fully marked underneath.

Length – 18.5 cm / 7.4 inches

Weight – 443 grams / 14.24 ozt

The arms are for Bentnick, quartering Noel, quartering Wriothesley quartering Bentnick

For William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland (1709-62) the son of Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland (1682-1726) and his wife Lady Elizabeth Noel (c. 1688 -1737), daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough (c.1661-1690) who was the son of Edward Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough, 4th Viscount Campden (1641 – 1689) and Lady Elizabeth Wriothesley (d.c.1680) the daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton (1607-1667).

This chamberstick is engraved either to replace or to match earlier silver as the second Duke of Portland was dead by the time of manufacture, his son William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738-1809) was married in 1766 and would not have used these arms.