Strawberry Hill, a pair of George II silver salt cellars,

Strawberry Hill, a pair of George II silver salt cellars,
by Richard Pargeter, London 1735,
circular form, with heavy garlands of flowers on three lion mask paw feet, gilded bowls, rope-work borders, the undersides inscribed 'Bought at Strawberry Hill, May 6th 1842', diameter 9cm, height 5.7cm, approx. weight 14.9oz. (2)

Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, was the home of Horace Walpole (1717-1797), son of Sir Robert Walpole (1676-1745). Horace, over a period of some forty years turned the 17th century house into what he called 'a little Gothic Castle'. It quickly became a famous tourist attraction. When the contents were auctioned in 1842, the sale started on Monday 25th April and lasted for the following twenty-three days (Sundays excepted).

The salt cellars were sold on the day eleventh day of the sale, the 6th May 1842, and were lot number 126 or 126*. The catalogue description read 126 - Two pairs of elegant circular salts, boldly chased flower borders and Lion mask feet. 126* - A pair of ditto, en suite.

This lot is sold with a reprint of the auction catalogue, titled 'A Catalogue of The Classic Contents of Strawberry Hill, Collected by Horace Walpole'.