A helmet shaped George II silver ewer from the Warrington plate.

The ewer has a spreading circular foot with a band of gadrooning, the lower part of the body applied with strapwork and above with two molded bands, with molded shaped rim and leaf-capped scroll handle, engraved with the Earl's armorials. The ewer bears the mark of the Huguenot goldsmith David Willaume II. Amongst his most important patrons in the early 1740's was George Booth, 2nd Earl of Warrington, of Dunham Massey. Lord Warrington was at the height of the silver-buying at the time and Willaume provided him with some of the most magnificent of his later acquisitions.

Provenance

George, 2nd Earl of Warrington; by descent; Catherine, Lady Grey and Sir John Foley Grey; Christie's London 1921; Christie's London 1986; Christies New York 2003.


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