Spoon
1880-1881 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This spoon is one of a set of twelve which formed part of a dessert service and was a wedding gift for George Edward Sneyd, the close friend and secretary of John Patrick Crichton Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute (1847-1900), on his marriage to Elizabeth Stuart, Bute's cousin. It was designed by the Gothic Revival architect William Burges, who designed many unusual silver pieces.
Burges started his career designing churches, and was involved with major publications on medieval ecclesiastical metalwork. However, his subversive and playful brand of Gothic was more suited to domestic work. His greatest architectural achievements were the rooms he created in Cardiff Castle, his imaginative restoration of Castell Coch, and Tower House, the home he built for himself in London.
This was a complex commission. Burges' estimate book shows that various price options were tried out: there was a 'total without candlesticks' and the cruets were offered with either one or two enamels each. Early designs show that the centrepiece originally had no arms, and large freestanding candlesticks were intended. Most of these designs were retained by the Marquess of Bute, which implies that he took some interest in the design.
Eleven days after writing the service into his estimate book, Burges added another commission for '1 dozen silver spoons, including case' and 'two silver spoons, enamelled'. This second commission was from Burges himself, and constituted his own wedding present to Sneyd. So the spoons are inscribed 'GES from WB', whilst the inscriptions on the main parts of the service invoke the name of the Marquess of Bute in more majestic Latin. The commission was contracted out to Burges' preferred silversmith, Jes Barkentin of Barkentin and Krall.
Burges started his career designing churches, and was involved with major publications on medieval ecclesiastical metalwork. However, his subversive and playful brand of Gothic was more suited to domestic work. His greatest architectural achievements were the rooms he created in Cardiff Castle, his imaginative restoration of Castell Coch, and Tower House, the home he built for himself in London.
This was a complex commission. Burges' estimate book shows that various price options were tried out: there was a 'total without candlesticks' and the cruets were offered with either one or two enamels each. Early designs show that the centrepiece originally had no arms, and large freestanding candlesticks were intended. Most of these designs were retained by the Marquess of Bute, which implies that he took some interest in the design.
Eleven days after writing the service into his estimate book, Burges added another commission for '1 dozen silver spoons, including case' and 'two silver spoons, enamelled'. This second commission was from Burges himself, and constituted his own wedding present to Sneyd. So the spoons are inscribed 'GES from WB', whilst the inscriptions on the main parts of the service invoke the name of the Marquess of Bute in more majestic Latin. The commission was contracted out to Burges' preferred silversmith, Jes Barkentin of Barkentin and Krall.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Silver, gilt |
Brief description | Silver gilt spoon, designed by William Burges, made by Barkentin & Krall, London, 1880-1881 |
Physical description | One of a set of twelve silver gilt spoons forming an additional part of the service (Circ.184-192,-1964) commissioned by the Marquis of Bute as a wedding present for his friend George Edward Sneyd. The form of the handle is reminiscent of a four part Gothic attached column with a boss at the top set with a stone and four stone set bosses binding the central section; oval bowl. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Object history | Twelve from a dessert service. This dessert service was a wedding gift for George Edward Sneyd, the close friend and secretary of John Patrick Crichton Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute (1847-1900), on his marriage to Elizabeth Stuart, Bute's cousin. It was designed by the Gothic Revival architect William Burges, who designed many unusual silver pieces. Burges started his career designing churches, and was involved with major publications on medieval ecclesiastical metalwork. However, his subversive and playful brand of Gothic was more suited to domestic work. His greatest architectural achievements were the rooms he created in Cardiff Castle, his imaginative restoration of Castell Coch, and Tower House, the home he built for himself in London. This was a complex commission. Burges' estimate book shows that various price options were tried out: there was a 'total without candlesticks' and the cruets were offered with either one or two enamels each. Early designs show that the centrepiece originally had no arms, and large freestanding candlesticks were intended. Most of these designs were retained by the Marquess of Bute, which implies that he took some interest in the design. Eleven days after writing the service into his estimate book, Burges added another commission for '1 dozen silver spoons, including case' and 'two silver spoons, enamelled'. This second commission was from Burges himself, and constituted his own wedding present to Sneyd. So the spoons are inscribed 'GES from WB', whilst the inscriptions on the main parts of the service invoke the name of the Marquess of Bute in more majestic Latin. The commission was contracted out to Burges' preferred silversmith, Jes Barkentin of Barkentin and Krall. |
Summary | This spoon is one of a set of twelve which formed part of a dessert service and was a wedding gift for George Edward Sneyd, the close friend and secretary of John Patrick Crichton Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute (1847-1900), on his marriage to Elizabeth Stuart, Bute's cousin. It was designed by the Gothic Revival architect William Burges, who designed many unusual silver pieces. Burges started his career designing churches, and was involved with major publications on medieval ecclesiastical metalwork. However, his subversive and playful brand of Gothic was more suited to domestic work. His greatest architectural achievements were the rooms he created in Cardiff Castle, his imaginative restoration of Castell Coch, and Tower House, the home he built for himself in London. This was a complex commission. Burges' estimate book shows that various price options were tried out: there was a 'total without candlesticks' and the cruets were offered with either one or two enamels each. Early designs show that the centrepiece originally had no arms, and large freestanding candlesticks were intended. Most of these designs were retained by the Marquess of Bute, which implies that he took some interest in the design. Eleven days after writing the service into his estimate book, Burges added another commission for '1 dozen silver spoons, including case' and 'two silver spoons, enamelled'. This second commission was from Burges himself, and constituted his own wedding present to Sneyd. So the spoons are inscribed 'GES from WB', whilst the inscriptions on the main parts of the service invoke the name of the Marquess of Bute in more majestic Latin. The commission was contracted out to Burges' preferred silversmith, Jes Barkentin of Barkentin and Krall. |
Associated objects |
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Collection | |
Accession number | CIRC.193E-1964 |
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Record created | March 10, 2004 |
Record URL |
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