An important set of four George II sterling silver candlesticks, London 1743 by George Wickes (this mark reg. 6th July 1739)

Each with cast square bases with incurved corners with gadrooned edges, the recessed well with a corded edge leading to a central column of gadrooned circular knops below square form knops centred with an inverted octagonal baluster section terminating a gadrooned edge capitals. The wells engraved with a crest of a reindeer trippant collared within a robe of estate, opposing a coat of arms with supporters and the same crest all above the motto J'ai bonne cause and within a robe of estate. Each engraved underneath with numbers and scratch weights as follows; No 1 33=15, No 2 33=11, No 332=16 and No 4 33=17. Each fully marked to the underside, one mark to each side. (4)

Height – 25.5 cm / 10 inches

Base Length – 15 cm / 5.9 inches

Weight – 3656 grams / 117.54 ozt

The crest is for Thynne

The arms are for Thynne as borne by the Marquess of Bath

Almost certainly for Thomas Thynne the second Marquess of Bath, (1765-1837), Thynne was the eldest son of Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath (1734-1796), and Lady Elizabeth Cavendish-Bentinck. (1735 –1825). He succeeded as 2nd Marquess in 1796 on the death of his father. He was Tory M.P. for Weobley from 1786 to 1790, for Bath from 1790 to 1796 and Lord Lieutenant for Somerset from 1819 until his death. He married on 24^th April 1794 in Brook Street, Hanover Square, Isabella Elizabeth (1773-1830), third daughter and coheir of George Byng, 4^th Viscount Torrington (1740-1812).

The Thynne family certainly enjoyed regular patronage of the Wakelin firms, as initially founded by George Wickes. Not only did this include commissioning new objects through the successive partnerships but also the refurbishment of old plate, evidently what has befitted these four candlesticks. The heraldry engraved lacks a coronet, whereas the silver commissioned by the Thynne family, such as the basket on stand of 1778 supplied to Thomas Thynne (1734-1796) while 3^rd Viscount Weymouth (since 1751) naturally does use the Viscount’s coronet (Christie’s, London, Furniture, Silver and Porcelain from Longleat, 13 June 2002, lot 401). Thomas Thynne was elevated to Marquess of Bath in 1789, and his son would therefore be styled Viscount Weymouth from 1789 until his father's death in 1796. Thus, these candlesticks are surely to have been engraved before 1789, where further research into the Waklein ledgers may record the cost for these added engravings if we presume that it was to the Wakelin partnership that these were sent. The second Marquis certainly commissioned a pair of three-light candelabra and a set of four sauceboats from the Wakelin firm on the 22^nd March 1797 not long after assuming the title from the 19^th November 1796.

The Marquess of Bath is recorded in the Wakelin ledgers: Schrager, L., The Royal and Aristocratic Patronage of Wakelin and Tayler, 1776-92, (2006) The journal of the silver society, no 21, p.87-104.

These candlesticks may be recorded in 2 Marquess of Bath, Heirlooms, 1896 Inventory of Plate held at Longleat house, information under formal request.