The largest known collection of Mildmay service plates in its original form by the celebrated 18th-century silversmith Paul de Lamerie (1688–1751) represents a significant rediscovery in British silver. These important pieces formed part of a grand service originally commissioned for Benjamin Mildmay, 1st Earl Fitzwalter.
The set dates from 1737 and is part of an extended commission, originally begun in 1725 following Mildmay’s marriage to the daughter of the Duke of Stromberg. At the time, Mildmay held high political office, eventually becoming Treasurer of the Household. While much of the service was believed to have been broken up during the 19th century, a number of pieces have gradually resurfaced. This group of dinner plates is the most substantial original portion known to exist.
Often described as the greatest English silversmith of the 18th century, Paul de Lamerie was a French Huguenot who fled religious persecution and settled in London. He began his career under the apprenticeship of Pierre Platel, another Huguenot craftsman, and was admitted to the Goldsmiths' Company in 1712.
By the 1710s, de Lamerie was already working for elite clients and was soon known as 'the King's Silversmith'. His workshop, originally based in Soho, later moved to Gerrard Street. His career included prestigious commissions from the Goldsmiths’ Company, as well as private patrons such as Sir Robert Walpole and Baron Anson. De Lamerie’s ability to combine technical skill, creative invention and commercial success set him apart from his peers.
These dinner plates are particularly notable for their gadrooned rims, an early and rare use of this decorative edge in silver dinnerware. Previous assumptions held that many plates from the Mildmay service originally featured moulded rims, with gadrooning added later. However, recent research suggests the opposite: that the plates were originally gadrooned, and some were later reshaped.
This conclusion is supported by comparisons of scratch weights (recorded weights on the reverse of the plates), revealing that plates with moulded rims have lost more weight over time than those with gadrooned rims. This evidence indicates that the gadrooned design was original, and later modifications may have altered a significant portion of the service.
The plates are a fine example of English Rococo silver, reflecting the opulence of the early Georgian period. Their connection to an established political figure, paired with the unmistakable hand of Paul de Lamerie, gives these pieces both historical resonance and artistic merit.
Comparable examples from the Mildmay service, though with moulded rims, are housed in the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts. However, this surviving group of gadrooned plates is now considered a rare and significant survival of the original 18th-century commission.
Do you own Georgian silver or work by Paul de Lamerie? Contact our Silver & Objects of Vertu department today for a free and confidential valuation. Reach out to Head of Department John Rogers at john.rogers@chiswickauctions.co.uk or submit an Online Valuation.