Goblet, silver-gilt, Philip Cornman, 1806.

Large silver - gilt goblet standing on a stepped, spreaded foot

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The arms are those of George II and Alexander, for Du Pre, second earl of Caledon (1777-1839) who succeeded his father in 1802. He served as a member of Parliament for Newtownards in Ireland in 1800 and later, as lord lieutenant for County Tyrone and colonel of the Tyrone militia. From 1806 to 1811 he was governor of the Cape of Good Hope (ceded to Britain in 1806). In 1811, he married Catherine Freman, second daughter of Philip, third earl of Hardwicke. Like the fish kettle made for the duke of Kent (cat. no. 88) this goblet presumably formed part of the official plate that was issued to Alexander when he took up his appointment as governor of the Cape of Good Hope. (Schroder, 1988, p. 350)

Provenance: Du Pre, 2nd Earl of Caledon. Sale, Christie's, lot 90, May 18, 1982. Purchased from S.J. Shrubsole Corporation, New York, 1981.

The design for this cup is almost certainly by Jean-Jacques Boileau: a number of its more distinctive features are found among the known Boileau designs at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (see cat. no. 89). In particular, the very unusual stem app

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.

LOAN:GILBERT.753-2008