Tray thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Tray

ca.1850-1878 (designed and made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

George John Cayley (1826-78), son of the MP Edward Stillingfleet Cayley, was an eccentric.. Besides dabbling in poetry and writing a light-hearted book on travels in Spain, he was a gifted artist (he illustrated some of his own books) and a craftsman known for his metalwork. In 1862 he and the painter George Frederick Watts worked together to design the challenge shield for a shooting championship at Wimbledon. He was also one of the more left-wing Cayleys of the 19th century – and a keen tennis player.

In 1870 he went to live in Algiers to try and improve his health. There he played tennis as long as his health permitted — “longer, it might be said” according to recollections of him in a 1909 edition of his Spanish travel book. This was shortly before lawn tennis as we know it became established. During spells in England he worked with a carpenter and cabinet-maker, William Button Maslen from near Swansea, to develop new types of tennis racket. In January 1875 the Edinburgh Review, which is still in existence, published his article Lusio Pilaris and Lawn Tennis, which was the first ever article on lawn tennis.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, raised and embossed
Brief description
Tray, silver, England, no hallmarks, designed and made by George John Cayley, ca.1850-1878.
Physical description
Tray, silver, pentagonal, the base formed by one, the sides by five pentagons, each filled by an embossed five petalled flower set against a matted background.
Dimensions
  • Height: 14.5cm
  • Width: 15cm
  • Depth: 2.5cm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Bequest of Hugh Cayley
Object history
Bequest of Hugh Cayley, the son of the artist.
Historical context
There is a photograph of George John Cayley, taken by Camille Silvy dated the 8th of January, 1862 in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery, London (NPG Ax56645). The photograph was taken in the photographer's studio at 38 Porchester Terrace, Bayswater.
Subject depicted
Summary
George John Cayley (1826-78), son of the MP Edward Stillingfleet Cayley, was an eccentric.. Besides dabbling in poetry and writing a light-hearted book on travels in Spain, he was a gifted artist (he illustrated some of his own books) and a craftsman known for his metalwork. In 1862 he and the painter George Frederick Watts worked together to design the challenge shield for a shooting championship at Wimbledon. He was also one of the more left-wing Cayleys of the 19th century – and a keen tennis player.

In 1870 he went to live in Algiers to try and improve his health. There he played tennis as long as his health permitted — “longer, it might be said” according to recollections of him in a 1909 edition of his Spanish travel book. This was shortly before lawn tennis as we know it became established. During spells in England he worked with a carpenter and cabinet-maker, William Button Maslen from near Swansea, to develop new types of tennis racket. In January 1875 the Edinburgh Review, which is still in existence, published his article Lusio Pilaris and Lawn Tennis, which was the first ever article on lawn tennis.
Collection
Accession number
M.566-1924

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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