SCOTTISH SILVER
The ancient history of the silversmiths’ craft in
Scotland--Peculiarities in marking--The standard mark of the
Thistle introduced in 1759 (Edinburgh), the Lion rampant
(Glasgow) in 1819.
The study of Scottish silver is a special one. Its manufacture and
the statutes governing the goldsmiths and silversmiths extend back
to the fifteenth century. The chief centres of marking and assaying
were primarily Edinburgh and latterly Glasgow in addition. But it is
remarkable how many towns and burghs assayed silver. In comparison
with England the manufacture of silver plate seems to have covered
a wider area in Scotland. Examples are extant showing that Dundee
assayed silver as early as the seventeenth century, with the town mark
of the two-handled pot with lilies, and the same mark was used in the
late nineteenth century. Perth had its lamb and the flag, emblem of
St. John. Aberdeen had the letters ABD; Elgin had ELN; Banff had BA;
and Inverness had INS, or its mark of a camel. This is enough, meagre
though it be, to indicate that the identification of Scottish silver
requires no little close study into the records covering an intricate
field, and many marks unattributed to any special place are believed to
be Scottish in origin.
Of the Scottish silver-plate, illustrated in this chapter, it may be
said that, whenever possible, details are given of the peculiarities
of marking to enable the student to familiarize himself with the
differences in comparison with English silver. The assay master’s
initials, the maker’s initials, and the date letter are an array of
letters possibly puzzling to the beginner.
The quaich (illustrated p. 313) was made at Edinburgh in 1705. The
maker was Robert Inglis, and the assay master, James Penman. The marks
are illustrated p. 405. These old vessels were used for drinking
spirits, and the two handles denote that, like the English loving-cup,
they were passed around. They are not used over this side of the
border. They are sometimes made of hard dark wood, and possibly their
origin may be traced to Scandinavian forms. The Dutch have similar
vessels. In the Willet-Holthuysen Museum at Amsterdam there is a silver
brandy- or loving-cup with ears in form like the Scottish quaich or
quaigh. This is of the first half of the seventeenth century. It
measures 9 centimetres in height by 11 centimetres in width. The side
of the cup is divided into six embossed parts, each encircling an
engraved medallion of four symbolic figures--Faith, Justice, Science,
and Labour. All these are surrounded by medallions in Renaissance
style: the well-known conventional dragons, garlands of flowers, and
cherubs’ heads. The handles are also ornamented. “It is a truly
Dutch sweetly pretty little thing,” says Frans Coenen, the curator, the
author of a brochure on the collection, “and seems to have been made
on purpose to be held by a strong, powerful fist at the festive board.
And festive boards were of frequency in the days of the Great Republic,
when the merry cup went round with snapdragon, or even brandy pure and
undiluted, as a kind of English loving-cup. And the ladies partook as
well as the gentlemen. Neither did they refuse the weed which cheers
but not inebriates.” The author laments that this form has disappeared
from use in Holland. “In course of time,” he says, “bitters and gin
took the place of brandy, and the pretty vessel degenerated into a
characterless bottle or jug, which in its turn was replaced by the
teapot.”
[Illustration: SUGAR-CASTER. EDINBURGH, 1746.
Marked with Maker’s mark, E O, and Assay Master’s initials H G (Hugh
Gordon), castle, and date Letter R.
(_At Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh._)]
The quaich illustrated, in date 1705, exhibits the purity of design
of the early years of the eighteenth century. It belongs to the year
prior to the appointment of a commission to arrange the terms of union
between England and Scotland. In 1707 this was legally effected.
The United Kingdom was to be called Great Britain. There was to be
one Parliament for the United Kingdom, in which Scotland was to be
represented by forty-five members in the Commons and sixteen peers in
the Upper House. The Union Jack was to be the flag of Great Britain.
The cup with the flat handle, or “lug” as it is termed in Scotland,
level with the brim, was sometimes of more ornamental form, with
six spheroidal sides, and the handles were chased. There is also
the “bleeding-cup” used by barber-surgeons so freely in the late
seventeenth and eighteenth century. There is a specimen of this class
of silver vessel, diminutive in character, at the Victoria and Albert
Museum. The marks for the year 1698 are taken from this bowl (see p.
373).
A quaich made by Thomas Moncur at Glasgow in 1665 sold in 1909 for
£408, at 560s. per oz.
On the same page as the quaich is illustrated a mug, in date 1790. It
is the other end of the century from the simple quaich. It marks the
beginning of decadent styles; the overloaded ornament, the want of
subtle suggestiveness in the design, shows that the nineteenth century
was at hand. It has an interest as being contemporary with Robert
Burns. _Tam O’Shanter_ was written in this year.
To this year belongs Burke’s _Reflections_ on the French Revolution,
which work had a great influence in turning English opinion against the
revolutionists. Many replies were published to refute Burke, the most
important being the _Rights of Man_ by Thomas Paine.
The sugar-caster (illustrated p. 317) belongs to the George II epoch of
silver. Evidently the rich and varied styles extended to Scotland. The
same impulses influenced both nations before the union; in date this is
1746. This is marked with the maker’s initials, E. O., and the assay
master’s initials, H. G. (Hugh Gordon); there is, in addition, the mark
of the castle and the date letter R. The baluster ornament is in almost
acorn form. The top with its perforated design is always a pleasing
feature in casters. The floriated ornament in this example is of fine
character.
[Illustration: EARLY GEORGE III COFFEE-POT. EDINBURGH, 1769.
Height 12¹/₄ in. Maker Patrick Robertson.
(Marks illustrated p. 405.)
(_At Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh._)]
The year 1746 is a notable one in Scottish history. In 1745 the Young
Pretender, Charles Edward Stuart, dear to memory in Scotland, landed.
“Charlie is my darlin’” was a forbidden tune at Balmoral as late as
the reign of Victoria. The entry of the Prince into Edinburgh in 1745
resulted in the defeat of Sir John Cope, and the victorious army
invaded England and reached Derby.
The year 1746 saw the Battle of Culloden and the defeat of the
Pretender. Here is a caster of these romantic days, days that find
expression in various romances--romances that are true to the life.
Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, was beheaded on Tower Hill for his duplicity.
Many great Scottish families tried to sit on both sides of the fence.
One son went to the Hanoverian forces and the other to the Stuart
invader. Robert Louis Stevenson’s _Master of Ballantrae_ shows the
poignancy of the situation. But England held aloof in 1745. In 1715,
when the elder Pretender essayed to claim his own, England was
lukewarm, but in 1745 the House of Hanover had become deeply rooted and
no leniency was shown to the invaders.
The Edinburgh coffee-pot (illustrated p. 321), in date 1769, is a
delightful piece. It was made by Patrick Robertson; the marks are
illustrated p. 405. This was in the early George III period. In this
year was published the first of the “Letters of Junius,” an acrid
attack on the Government in the _Public Advertiser_ on behalf of John
Wilkes, the demagogue. This year saw the birth of English Radicalism.
Wilkes was elected as member for Middlesex for the fourth time, but
Parliament declared his opponent, Colonel Luttrell, at the bottom of
the poll, to be elected. The meaning of the motto “Wilkes and Liberty”
is thus understood.
This coffee-pot of those days claims recognition by reason of its
beauty of form. The spout with dragon head is graceful and original.
The handle, in ebony, follows the broken curves of the period, the
cone-top and the somewhat elongated foot and narrow base to the body
proclaim the contemporary style.
The tea-urn of 1778 (illustrated p. 325), also made by Patrick
Robertson, is marked with the castle of Edinburgh, the Thistle
standard mark, the date letter Z, and the maker’s initials P. R. It
is a beautiful piece in classic style, with fluted oviform body; it
is decorated at summit and base with acanthus ornament. It has flat
scroll handles with delicate beaded ornament. On tall fluted foot
with bold spreading terminals, it stands on square base decorated
with classic chasing. It is as classic as Princes Street, Edinburgh.
It is delightfully Scottish, and represents the northern Athens as
exemplified in the minor art of the silversmith. It is just prior
to the days of Sir Walter Scott, the “Wizard of the North,” who has
charmed Scot and southron alike by his magic spell.
[Illustration: TEA-URN. EDINBURGH, 1778.
Maker, Patrick Robertson. Marked with castle, P R, thistle, and date
letter Z.
(_At Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh._)]
This is a very meagre exposition of the art of the silversmith in
Scotland, but space does not permit of further details in a volume
of this size. In the examination of Scottish silver one is confronted
with so much that is excellent. The subject is like Scottish poetry;
one turns to the anthology of Sir George Douglas and one finds a race
of nightingales.
XII
IRISH SILVER
[Illustration: CASTER. DUBLIN, 1699.
Maker, George Lyng. (Marks illustrated p. 409.)]
[Illustration: LOVING-CUP, WITH HARP HANDLES. CORK, _c._ 1694.
Maker, Robert Goble. (Marks illustrated p. 409.)
(_By courtesy of Messrs. Harris & Sinclair, Dublin._)]