Royal Silver - George IV Sterling Silver Pair Serving Spoons by Thomas Wallis II. London 1790.

Royal Silver - George IV Sterling Silver Pair Serving Spoons by Thomas Wallis II. London 1790.

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Important and handsome pair of George IV Sterling Silver Fiddle & Thread serving/basting spoons.
Maker: Thomas Wallis II. London 1790.

This pair of serving/basting spoons are of good weight and are excellently made.. The reverse of the stem is engraved with two crests (see below)..
The full set of hallmarks and the maker's mark are clearly stamped on the reverse of the stem under the crests.
They are very well balanced and elegant and would look good on any dining room table.

The contemporary crest of The Prince of Wales feathers within the garter motto below the Royal coronet.
George IV was created Prince of Wales at birth and was installed as a Knight of the Garter in 1765 (born August 1762). So technically the crest could have been used from 1765 and the items might well have been delivered to the household of Prinnie between May 1790 and May 1791. He would have "come of age" in August 1790 when he was 18 so that might be the actual month they were delivered. This was prior to him going through the "Carlton House" stage of his life when all the glitz, gilt and razzmatazz came on board. These "more 'humble" items were probably cast aside as soon as that faze started - but almost certainly disposed of by 1808 when he had a real clean out of the Royal Plate. This is all supposition but with a fair chance of being correct. They would then have been on the open market at Rundell, Bridge & Rundell who may well have sold them to a Copinger or a Haddon.
The crest, below the Prince of Wales crest, is a leg in armour couped at the thigh, flexed at the knee, the foot in chief, the toe pointing to the dexter, all proper and would belong to the second owner, the spur or
Motto Virtute et fidelitat e (By bravery and Fidelity) used by Walter Arthur Copinger Esquire of the Priory, Manchester and Tynycoed Tower, Dinas Mawddwy, Merioneth
and Haddon of Grandholme, Scotland motto Parta tueri (I will defend what I have won).

Length: 11.3 inches (28.7cm)
Width of bowl: 2.3 inches (5.8cm)
Weight: 10 troy ounces (311 grams) the pair

Period

18th Century

Year

1790

Medium

Sterling Silver

Country

London

Condition

Excellent

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