A pair of heavy George IV sterling silver snuffers trays, London 1824 by Benjamin Smith III

Each of elongated lobed cartouche form with a shaped cavetto edge and a moulded rim. The field centres engraved with an impaled coat of arms surmounted by a helm with foliate mantling and a crest of a bird holding in the dexter claw a flag-staff with a flag, the latter charged with a cross. Each fully marked underneath. (2)

Length – 23.2 cm / 9.1 inches

Weight – 740 grams / 23.79 ozt

The crest is for Ricardo

The arms are for Ricardo impaling St Quintin

For David Ricardo (1803-1864) of Gatcombe Park, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire who married Catherine St Quintin (1802-1871) at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Sunbury on Thames in the County of Middlesex on the 1st June 1824. He was appointed High Sheriff of Gloucestershire for 1830–31 and elected MP for Stroud in 1832 but "took the Chiltern Hundreds" in 1833.

David was the second son of David Ricardo (1772-1823), the son of Abraham Israel Ricardo (1733?–1812) who were Sephardic Jews of Portuguese origin who had recently relocated from the Dutch Republic. He eloped with a Quaker, Priscilla Anne Wilkinson (1768-1849), and, against his father's wishes, converted to Unitarianism. This religious difference resulted in estrangement from his family, and he was led to adopt a position of independence. His father disowned him and his mother apparently never spoke to him again.

Catherine was the fifth daughter of William Thomas St Quintin (1769-1805), of Scampston Hall, Malton in the County of Yorkshire and his wife, Arabella Bridget Calcraft (c.1771 – 1841, the daughter of General Thomas Calcraft (1738-1783).

Gatcombe Park was purchased in 1814 by David Ricardo snr, later sold by the Ricardo family in 1940 where in 1976 it become the country residence of HRH Anne, Princess Royal.