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Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkherne in Somerset- Sir Walter Elliots local auctioneers,as he hails from the nearby Kellynch Hall -are to hold a sale of Silver and Objects of Virtu next week: the on-line catalogue is chock-a-block with precisely the type of luxurious gadgets Sir Walter and other Austen characters would have adored…such as….
A George III silver Marrow Scoop ( Would that be appropriate for the gourmand of the Mansfield Rectory, Dr Grant?)
A George III Stilton Scoop ( Surely the perfect gift from Augusta Elton to her caro sposo)
A George III Tongue-scraper and Tweezers Combined ( The ideal gift for the vain Sir Walter?)
A Rare Wig Powderer dating from 1812 ( Mr Bennet could not cause havoc without this?)
A George III Gold mounted Malacca Cane dating from 1760
A Neo-Classical Nutmeg grater- THE essential spice to add to one’s hot chocolate.
A Jockey Cap Tea Caddy Spoon made by one of my distant ancestors, Samuel Pemberton ( just THE thing for Tom Bertram at Newmarket-but he didn’t drink much tea there , did he?)
and finally a silver apple corer…perfect for Mr Knightley to give to Jane Fairfax, perhaps, she suggested mischievously ?;-)
Do note you can enlarge all these photographs by clicking on them to examine the delightful detail…I hope you enjoyed this small tour of Georgian Luxury Gadgets and will find more to admire in Lawrences Catalogue :-)
My review of the exhibition can now be accessed here.
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From 21st October until 23rd January the National Portrait Gallery in London will be staging the first major exhibition to be held in 30 years on the Regency portraitist, Sir Thomas Lawrence.
Entitled,Regency Power and Brilliance, the exhibition will explore his development from being the son of a Bristol Excise officer to becoming the most celebrated and influential artist in Europe at the start of the nineteenth century.
It will feature over fifty works of his works , drawn from public and private collections around the world, like this magestic portrait of Jane Austen’s admirer, Sir Walter Scott.
I do hope my favourite, Elizabeth Farren, the actress who became the Countress of Derby, will be there, all the way from the Metropolitan Museum in NYC…
I will most certainly be going and will report back.
As I understand it the exhibiton will also be on show at the Yale Centre for British Arts, New Haven, so I hope many of you will be able to visit it, which ever side of the pond you reside.
