Fonthill Treasures
28 Jan, 2010
A pair of
silver-gilt waiters, previously in the collection of William
Beckford, have sold at Woolley and Wallis for £36,000 hammer
price.
The waiters,
featured in the Silver sale on 27th January, came from
the estate of the late Niel Rimington of Fonthill Old Abbey Estate
in Wiltshire, where the eccentric Beckford had built his gothic
residence of cathedral proportions in the early 19th
century. Dated 1817, the waiters were made by William Burwash of
London,
and decorated with strapwork echoing the heraldic motifs of the
Beckford arms. They bore a striking resemblance to a sideboard dish
in the V&A, which was made for Beckford by the same silversmith
at around the same time. It is possible that the design was
executed by Gregorio Franchi, Beckford's Portuguese agent and
friend, and echoes Beckford's obsessions with his lineage and the
Islamic world.
Whilst
undoubtedly fine items, the strong provenance and connection to one
of England's wealthiest and most eccentric collectors are what
pushed this lot beyond its £15,000 - 20,000 estimate.
The estate of Niel Rimington included several other items
that proved popular with collectors, among them a Guild of
Handicrafts beaker by Charles Ashbee, set with garnet cabouchons.
Eleven telephone lines competed with bidders in the room and
several commission bids to overtake the modest estimate of £3,000 -
5,000. The piece eventually sold to a private collector for
£12,500.