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A magnificent Regency silver cup and cover by Richard Sibley, of campagna-form, the lower body applied with acanthus, the neck with a grapevine band below an everted egg-and-dart and beaded rim, with reeded leaf-clad handles, terminating in Bacchanalian masks, the body engraved with the Galway coat of arms, the fluted cover surmounted by a beaded and acanthus-wrapped berried finial, on a spreading fluted base
London, dated 1820
Fully Hallmarked. Height 50 cm.
This magnificent silver cup and cover is typical of the work of Richard Sibley (d. 1836) whose execution and standard of design was of the highest quality and nearly always in the restrained Regency taste. The design is derived from the famous Medici krater, as engraved by Piranesi in “Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi, Sarcofagi”, 1778, which inspired a number of the leading Regency silversmiths (e.g. a working pen drawing for a Medici wine cooler attributed to John Flaxman or William Theed for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell (Victoria and Albert Museum, London). Unlike the Medici krater the present piece omits figures, sharing close similarities with a set of eight silver gilt wine coolers made by Robert Garrard I, London 1816 for H.R.H. William Frederick, 2nd Duke of Gloucester (1776-1834).
Sibley came from a family of silver and goldsmiths, his father John being a goldsmith from Bath in Somerset and in turn his own son Richard II Sibley became a silversmith of repute. Richard I Sibley served his apprenticeship in London, under Fendall Rushworth of Carey Lane 2nd November 1785 and was turned over the same day to Daniel Smith of Bartholomew Close and once again to Robert Sharp goldsmith on 2nd March 1791. Sibley received his Freedom in October 1803 and later in June 1811 became a Liveryman of his guild. By November 1803 he was working in partnership with Thomas Ellerton at Bartholomew Close but when he entered his second mark in March 1805 he was working independently, still at the same address. In October that year he entered a third mark in partnership with William Burwash but by the time he entered a fourth mark July 1812 he was once more working alone at 30 Red Lion Street Clerkenwell. His various apprentices included William Burwash’s son, 1806 as well as his own son Richard II Sibley, 1821. Following his death his son and widow Mary went into partnership and continued the business at Red Lion Street. Both father and son are known to have supplied the London goldsmiths Makepeace & Walford; in particular while working in partnership with William Burwash, Richard Sibley supplied Makepeace & Walford with a silver-gilt cup and cover and while working alone a milk jug of 1825 and a toast rack of 1836, the year of his death.
The arms are for Galway for William George Monckton-Arundell 5th Viscount Galway who was born on 28th March 1782 and died on 2nd February 1834 at his family seat at Serbly Hall, Bawtry in Yorkshire. He was created 5th Viscount Galway on 23rd July 1810 on the death of his father Robert Monckton-Arundell, 4th Viscount Galway, P.C., K.B., M.P. June 1804 saw his marriage to Catherine Elizabeth, daughter of George and Elizabeth Handfield and the following year the birth of their son George Edward 6th Viscount Galway (1805-76). In 1826 William George discontinued the surname Arundell by royal license and obtained permission for each successive holder of the title and the eldest son to use the surnames of Monckton-Arundell while the younger branches of the family should only use the name Monckton
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