An Edwardian sterling silver presentation cigar or cigarette casket, London 1903 by James Dixon and Sons

An Edwardian sterling silver presentation cigar or cigarette casket, London 1903 by James Dixon and Sons

Of rectangular form upon detachable ebonised wooden base, the lift off lid surmounted by a figure of a hound, upon a grassy terrace. The side engraved with a presentation inscription “To Jack Rutter, M. C. in memory of Happy Days Polo, Hunting Racing from “Pak””. The front with a cast and applied quartered coat of arms, between supporters, with the motto below Gloria virtutis umbra, surmounted by a crest of out of a mural coronet, a demi-eagle displayed. The side with an applied coat of arms with motto Integritas. The obverse with an engraved inscription reading “Presented to The hon. Edward M. Packenham on his retiring from the joint mastership of the Westmeath Hounds held by him during the seasons 1893-1900”, followed by a list of names. Woode lined, lid with gilt interior. Fully and part-marked.

Length – 30.8 cm / 12.1 inches

Weighable silver – 928 grams / 29.84 ozt

The arms are for Packenham quartering Cuffe, quartering Aungier, quartering Boyle.

For Hon. Edward Michael Pakenham (1866-1937), son of General William Lygon Pakenham, 4th Earl of Longford (1819 – 1887) and the Hon. Selina Rice-Trevor, daughter of George Rice-Trevor, 4th Baron Dynevor, (1795-1869).

The Pakenham family of Pakenham Hall (present day Tullynally Castle ) maintained a pack of hounds and stable of horses in the early 18^th century. A pack of hounds known as the Sonna Harriers were owned by a Mr. Henry Tuite in Coolnahay and the Tuite hunting circuit included Lough Owel, Ballynacargy and Sonna. His son Hugh Morgan Tuite served as MP for the county of Westmeath between the 1820s and 1840s and continued the tradition. Sam Reynell of Killynon was involved in the specialized breeding of hunting hounds at Clonderlever and Archerstown leading to the establishment of the Westmeath Foxhounds in 1835.

The secondary coat of arms is for Rutter quartering others