A pair of George II sterling silver dinner plates, London 1758 by Edward Wakelin (reg. 17th Nov 1747)

Of shaped circular form with gadrooned rim. The edge engraved with an impaled coat of arms within foliate mantling. The reverse engraved with scratch weights, No 1, 14=5 and No 3, 14:3. Both fully marked to the reverse. (2) Diameter – 24.5 cm / 9.6 inches

Weight – 846 grams / 27.2 ozt

The arms are for Walker impaling Cope

For John Walker (1730-1806) after 1777 John Walker Heneage, who married on the 15th October 1763 Arabella Cope (1746-1818). There was no issue. John the son of John Walker of Lyneham, Wiltshire and Dyonsia Colebrooke, while Arabella was the Daugherty of Sir Jonathan Cope, Bt of Orton Longueville, Huntingdonshire and his wife Lady Arabella Howard, daughter of Henry, 4th Earl of Carlise. They resided at Compton Basset House, Wiltshire, purchased by his father, John Walker -Heaneage bought the rest of Compton Bassett manor in 1768 and merged the two manors John Walker-Heneage upon his death in 1806 devised the manor to his wife Arabella, on whose death it passed to his grandnephew George Wyld (from 1818 George Walker Heneage, d. 1875). He was succeeded by his son Clement (d. 1901), whose son and heir Godfrey sold the Compton Bassett estate, including lands in neighboring parishes, in 1918 to the Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.

A portrait miniature of Arabella Walker Heneage, née Cope by Luke Sullivan (1705-71) was sold Christie’s London, 7 Dec 2004, Lot 175. Her sister’s sauce boats marked for 1759 by Thomas Heming were sold Christie’s London, 15 June 2004, Lot 94 (£10,158 incl. premium)

Plate no 29 from this service, same date and maker, scratch weight 14-7, was sold Chorley’s 23 March 2021, lot 55 (£550 hammer)

A Mr John Walker is recorded in the Wakelin ledgers: Schrager, L., The Royal and Aristocratic Patronage of Wakelin and Tayler, 1776-92, (2006) The journal of the silver society, no 21, p.100.