Monteith
1820-1821 (hallmarked)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
So-called "monteiths" were particularly popular between 1680 and 1730. The rims of such bowls have a characteristic notched rim, perhaps used for cooling wine glasses by hanging them upside down from the rim. Why these typically English bowls are known as monteiths is not entirely clear, but seventeenth-century diarist Anthony Wood wrote that they were named in honour of a legendary Scot known as "Monsieur Monteigh". This monteith is a nineteenth-century version of the type, and was presented to Colonel Charles Morland (1774-1828), an aide-de-camp to King Georg IV of Britain on his retirement in 1828. Tragically Morland died only two months later.
The decoration of the piece draws upon the rich heritage of presentation silver in Great Britain, and brings together elements first invented in the seventeenth century, while the scene on the bowl depicts an ancient battle, described as "Alexander [the Great]'s battle of the Granicus" when the monteith was sold at auction in 1827.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
The decoration of the piece draws upon the rich heritage of presentation silver in Great Britain, and brings together elements first invented in the seventeenth century, while the scene on the bowl depicts an ancient battle, described as "Alexander [the Great]'s battle of the Granicus" when the monteith was sold at auction in 1827.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Raised, cast, embossed, pierced, chased and engraved silver-gilt |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt monteith, London hallmarks for 1820-1821, mark of Edward Farrell |
| Physical description | Silver-gilt bowl on a shaped circular foot pierced and chased with a lion mask, dragon, dolphin, scrolls and foliage, the body of bulbous form with two friezes in high relief of classical battle scenes, the handles formed as soldiers climbing trees. The detachable rim of the bowl, modelled with ten pierced and chased vignettes of ancient warriors engaged in combat above a frieze of fruit and animals. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | The relief on the side of the Monteith bowl shows the dramatic engagement of the Macedonian and Persian cavalry in battle. http://www.historynet.com/wars-of-alexander-the-great-battle-of-the-granicus.htm accessed 21/11/16 Of the four great battles Alexander fought in the course of his brilliant military career, the Battle of the Granicus, fought in May 334 BC, was the first–and the one in which he came closest to failure and death. The Granicus is also worthy of note because it is one of the earliest battles on record that was decided largely by cavalry strength, though coordinated with infantry support. Although some of the tactical details of the fighting are reasonably clear, to this day one of the more puzzling aspects is Alexander’s strategy of opening the battle with a feint attack. Unfortunately, the three major ancient literary sources–Arrian, Diodorus and Plutarch–give very little real detail of the battle, focusing rather on Alexander’s heroic struggle. In the spring of 334 BC, at the age of 22, Alexander led a combined Macedonian, Greek and Balkan (historically referred to as Macedonian) army of 32,000 infantry and 5,100 cavalry on a 20-day march from Macedon to the Hellespont (today called the Dardanelles). |
| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | 2, 3. Collectors’ silver
These objects were made as collectors’ items in the 19th century. They incorporate earlier stylistic elements and parts.
3. Monteith
1820–21
London, England; Edward Farrell (about 1780–1850) for Kensington Lewis
Gilded silver
Inscribed to Colonel Charles Morland from his brother officers on his retirement in 1828
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.852:1, 2-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: H.R.H. Frederick, Duke of York, sale, Christie's, lot 71, March 19, 1827. Lt. Col. Charles Morland. Sale, Sotheby's, lot 169, June 15, 1978. |
| Production | Edward Farrell for Kensington Lewis |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | So-called "monteiths" were particularly popular between 1680 and 1730. The rims of such bowls have a characteristic notched rim, perhaps used for cooling wine glasses by hanging them upside down from the rim. Why these typically English bowls are known as monteiths is not entirely clear, but seventeenth-century diarist Anthony Wood wrote that they were named in honour of a legendary Scot known as "Monsieur Monteigh". This monteith is a nineteenth-century version of the type, and was presented to Colonel Charles Morland (1774-1828), an aide-de-camp to King Georg IV of Britain on his retirement in 1828. Tragically Morland died only two months later. The decoration of the piece draws upon the rich heritage of presentation silver in Great Britain, and brings together elements first invented in the seventeenth century, while the scene on the bowl depicts an ancient battle, described as "Alexander [the Great]'s battle of the Granicus" when the monteith was sold at auction in 1827. Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.852:1 to 3-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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