Object of the Month -The Drunken Silenus

1st July 2025

Welcome to the fruitful month of July. Object of the month is a wonderful George IV silver-gilt sideboard dish from the private collection of Michael Baggott that was made by renowned Birmingham silversmith Edward Thomason (c. 1769-1849). The finely decorated dish (lot 831) is copied from The Drunken Silenus design for the ‘Tazza Farnese’ (circa 1599-1600) by the Italian artist Annibale Carraci (Bologna 1560-1609 Rome) and depicts Silenus being given wine by a satyr and a youth with two cherubs watching on, within a canopy of trailing grapevines.

Edward Thomason was a prominent British silversmith, manufacturer, as well as an inventor based in Birmingham. Initially apprenticed to the revered silversmith Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), who was a key figure in the Industrial Revolution, Thomason established his own business in the early 1790s producing gilt and silver-plated items such as buttons, buckles and medals. His firm became renowned for high-quality craftsmanship and innovation in metalwork, moving on to more elaborate and high-quality pieces. Silver specialist Rupert Slingsby said;

“The Birmingham dish is one of the nicest pieces of Birmingham silver I have ever sold, and the engraving is particularly good.”

The sideboard dish forms part of the private collection of the much-loved TV antiques expert Michael Baggott (1973-2025), a star of the BBC’s Flog It! programme. Michael, who sadly died unexpectedly in January of this year, was a recognised authority on antique silver, specialising in early spoons, boxes, provincial and continental silver. Known to so many for his sharp eye and larger than life character, Baggott joined the daytime show in 2004, quickly winning over the public with his transparent, honest approach, which was always mixed with great humour.

Michael Baggott’s extensive collection of silver will be dispersed across three auctions, with part one being offered in day two of the Silver & Objects of Vertu sale on Wednesday 16th July 2025. The entire collection comprises of 450 lots of silver, including an extensive selection of York silver, as well as silver from Liverpool, Chester, Dundee, Newcastle, Bristol, Exeter and Aberdeen with estimates ranging from £100 to £4,000 and the whole collection expected to achieve over £200,000. Lot 831 the George IV sideboard dish carries a presale estimate of £2,000-£3,000 (before auction fees).