Tablespoon
George Smith III and William Fearn
Category
Silver
Date
1794 - 1795
Materials
Sterling silver, Silver
Measurements
210 mm (Length)
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Saltram, Devon
NT 872312.3.5
Summary
One of twenty two Old English pattern tablespoons, sterling silver, by George Smith III and William Fearn, London, 1794/5. Now part of a composite table and dessert service. Heraldry: Engraved on the front of the terminal is the Parker crest of an erect arm with the hand clasping a stag’s antler, beneath a baron’s coronet for John Parker, 2nd Lord Boringdon (subsequently 1st Earl of Morley, 1772-1840).
Full description
An additional 38 tablespoons by Smith and Fearn, of 1792/3 and 1794/5, were included in the sale of the late 4th Earl of Morley’s silver, Christie’s, 19 January 1956, lot 129. That brings the total for Smith and Fearn to 60, thus forming the bulk of the 102 tablespoons recorded in the 1886 Saltram plate list (NT, Saltram). Montagu Edmund Parker also obtained tablespoons from Smith and Fearn at about the same time, perhaps suggesting that uncle and nephew were acquiring from the same retailer. It could equally well be explained by the enormous output of this duo. For further information on the overall service see the master entry.
Provenance
John Parker, 2nd Lord Boringdon (subsequently 1st Earl of Morley, 1772-1840); by descent to Montagu Brownlow Parker, 5th Earl of Morley (1878-1962); accepted in lieu of Estate Duty by HM Treasury and transferred to the National Trust in 1957.
Credit line
Saltram, the Morley Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
Reverse of terminal: Hallmarks: sterling lion (rubbed), leopard’s head crowned, date letter ‘t’ for 1794/5, monarch’s head facing right and maker’s mark G S over WF for George Smith III and William Fearn (Arthur Grimwade, London Goldsmiths (1990), no. 910).
Makers and roles
George Smith III and William Fearn, goldsmith