English Silver Plate of the Restoration
PROM the time of the Civil. War onwards the history of silversmithS' work in this country has -always been one of violent reactions. The repressed designs of the Commonwealth are followed by the riotous decoration of the Restoration, which in turn makes way for the com- paratively sober work of the reigns of William and Mary; Queen Anne and George I. It is during this latter period, when the craftsman relied for his effect almost entirely on fine formS-and the play of light on faceted surfaces rather than on any elaborate scheme of ornament, that some of the finest and most typically English plate was produced. Next comes the violent and restless- Rococo style, which, originating in France during the early part of Louis XV's reign, soon became the fashion throughout the whole of Europe. A strong reaction from the Rococo is furnished by the neo-classical style iiitroduced by the brothera Adam during the latter part of the century, again followed by the " roses and rapture " of the Regency. Later we find the work of the silver-, smith adversely affected by the Gothic Revival, and, at the end of last century, by that aimless meandering style which enjoyed a short popularity under the name of Art Nouveau.
One of the most prolific periods is undoubtedly that of the Restoratibn, when it became necessary to replace the vast quantities of plate that had been melted down to fill the coffers of Charles I during .the Civil. War. Another cause for the large output at this time was the extravagance and .love of display that were ushered into the country with the return of Charles II. Pepys, it will be remembered, spent a great deal of his money at the silversmith's shop where he even bought himself table-forks, which at that time were considered much more of a :luxury than necessity. In 'this connexion he tells us : " God having given me some profit extra- ordinary of late ; and bespoke some plate, spoons and forks. I pray God keep me from too great expenses though these will be pretty good money." The same writer also gives us 'a deseription Of a very important piece of the period which is still in existence and was recently exhibited in the City Companies' Exhibition. It is the magnificent Salt given by Thomas Seymour to the Goldsmiths' Company, of which Pepys says in his -diary of April. 27th, 1662 : " Visited the Mayor, Mr. Timbrell, our anchor smith, who showed us the present they had for the Queene ; which is a salt-cellar of silver, the walls christall, with four eagles and four greyhounds standing up at the top to bear up a dish ; which indeed is one of the neatest pieces of plate I ever saw." Another famous eXample, also in the possession of a city company, is a cup and cover in the form of an oak tree surmounted by a crown, originally intended by Charles II for the Order of- the 11.6yal Oak which he proposed to found, but afterwards given by him to the Barbers' Company. The work of- the 'Silversmith, however, was not at this time restricted to ordinary domestic or ceremonial plate. Tables; : large mirror-frames and the fronts of fire-dogs such as those at Knole Park and Windsor were covered with plates of silver embossed with a profusion of flowers, foliage and acanthus decoration ; it is even recorded that Nell Gwynne had a silver bedstead, but this latter was the work of a Dutchman.
At the ' Same time plainer pieces were being made, As is shown by the comparative simplicity of the Sterne Cup in the Victoria and Albert Museum. This fine example is also interesting historically as the gift of Charles II to Richard Sterne, Archbishop of York, who was the great-grandfather of the author of Tristram Shandy.
In conclusion we must not omit to mention that curious form of engraved decoration consisting of land, scapes and figures in the ChineSe style, which was intro- duced in Charles II's reign and is commonly known here by its French name of Chinoiserie.
- C. T. P. BAILEY:
Previous page
