拍品专文
The King's Cup, the most prestigious of the three racing cups presented at Cowes, was inaugurated in 1827. This, the first tankard presented, had been solicited from the King who directed that "a Cup of value of 100 guineas [is] to be sailed for by the yachts of the Royal Club annually on his birthday, the 12th of August".
Similar tankards were presented for the next twelve years; the following year's tankard, won by Joseph Weld's "Lulworth", was sold by his descendants at Christie's, London, March 6, 1991, lot 70. The 1831 tankard, also won by Joseph Weld, was sold in the same Rooms October 24, 1990, lot 118.
The design of the plaque on the front of the tankard has been variously attributed to John Flaxman, his assistant Edward Hodges Baily, and Thomas Stothard. The use of putti paddling scallop shells is perhaps most likely to be the work of Flaxman, who is known to have executed considerable designs for plate for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell. The same decoration appears on a series of monumental wine coolers, one of which is in the Royal Collection, traditionally ascribed to him. A pair of stands for ewers by Philip Rundell of 1822 for which a drawing exists in the British Museum have the same borders. Flaxman's preoccupation with marine ornament is demonstrated by a pair of sketches for a centerpiece in the Victoria & Albert Museum; the task of interpreting Flaxman's designs for the silversmith appears to have been that of Edward Hodges Baily, who had arrived in London from Bristol in 1807. Having worked for Flaxman for seven years he joined Rundell's in 1815, initially working for their designer William Theed and succeeding Flaxman as chief modeller in 1826.
Similar tankards were presented for the next twelve years; the following year's tankard, won by Joseph Weld's "Lulworth", was sold by his descendants at Christie's, London, March 6, 1991, lot 70. The 1831 tankard, also won by Joseph Weld, was sold in the same Rooms October 24, 1990, lot 118.
The design of the plaque on the front of the tankard has been variously attributed to John Flaxman, his assistant Edward Hodges Baily, and Thomas Stothard. The use of putti paddling scallop shells is perhaps most likely to be the work of Flaxman, who is known to have executed considerable designs for plate for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell. The same decoration appears on a series of monumental wine coolers, one of which is in the Royal Collection, traditionally ascribed to him. A pair of stands for ewers by Philip Rundell of 1822 for which a drawing exists in the British Museum have the same borders. Flaxman's preoccupation with marine ornament is demonstrated by a pair of sketches for a centerpiece in the Victoria & Albert Museum; the task of interpreting Flaxman's designs for the silversmith appears to have been that of Edward Hodges Baily, who had arrived in London from Bristol in 1807. Having worked for Flaxman for seven years he joined Rundell's in 1815, initially working for their designer William Theed and succeeding Flaxman as chief modeller in 1826.