A James II sterling silver chinoiserie pin cushion, London 1685 by I L two pellet above, fleur-de-lis below in a heart shaped punch (unidentified)

A James II sterling silver chinoiserie pin cushion, London 1685 by I L two pellet above, fleur-de-lis below in a heart shaped punch (unidentified)

Of elongated octagonal form with a moulded edge, raised upon four cast scroll feet. Flat chased chinoiserie decoration of fancy birds amidst foliage to the sides. Later pin cushion section, with screw nut affixed wooden panel. Fully marked to the side.

Length –17 cm / 7 inches

Gross weight – 415 grams

Dressing table sets are among the most frequently surviving elements of late 17^th century silverware, often highly embossed or as here, flat chased with chinoiserie, termed “Japann’d” at the time. Normally the gift of a groom to a new bride then likely passed from mother to daughter, these sets headed by a mirror and any number of caskets, pomatum pots, brushes, pincushions, and ecuelles, feature prominently in the history of silverware, such as the Calverley toilet service of 1683 by William Fowle (Victoria and Albert museum 240-1879). A contemporary account for such as service, is as follows “Recd. A comb box 2 powder 2 patch 2 Jessemy Boxes 2 candlesticks a Pincoshen 2 brushes as glass frame & Toppiece” Mitchell D. (1993), Dressing plate by the ‘unknown’ London silversmith ‘WF’, The Burlington Magazine, June 1993, p. 386. Evidently these larger caskets would be the comb boxes, for housing the large precious tortoiseshell combs so often made in Jamaica, a relatively recent British colony by the 1680’s having entered British possession in 1655. For an excellent example incised ‘Jamaica 1673’ probably by the Port Royal maker Paul Bennett (V&A 524 to B-1877), which at a dimensions of 7.625 x 4.875 inches would comfortably fit in such a casket as these.

Chinoiserie flat chased London silver chiefly found in the 1680’s is a particularly famous form of decoration and continues to be subject to further research. Several London maker’s marks are found on such plate with various levels of complexity to the decoration, leading to speculation did one workshop specialise in this work or was it all performed within the workshops as ascribed to the marks, the first seeming unlikely.