Ernest, Duke of Cumberland - A large George II sterling silver basket, London 1759 by WilliamTuite

Of shaped oval form with a finely cast and chased rim of C scroll putti grasping garbs of wheat and fruiting vine. The sides with finely pierced decoration of scrolls with cascades of cast and applied bounties of fruit. The curved swing handle with caryatid bases leading to a finely chased centre handle of fruiting vine, rocaille C scrolls and garbs. The spreading foot formed as openwork C scroll and rocaille with greyhounds couchant, flower heads and lattice work reserves. The base centre engraved with a later impaled coat of arms above the motto Garde Ta Foy, all surmounted by a crest from the battlements of a castle of three towers proper a demi-lion double queued issuant erminois between the paws a pellet. Engraved underneath this with script initials EDC below a Ducal coronet, the underside of rim engraved EAF. Fully marked underneath, the handle unmarked. Also, underneath a partially obliterated inscription “The gift of Mr Nathaniel […]”.

Length – 43.9 cm / 17.25 inches

Height – 36 cm / 14.25 inches

Weight – 2685 grams / 86.32 ozt

The arms are for Hammet impaling Woodford quartering Reesen quartering possibly Van Sleet

For John Hammet (1767-1811) and his wife Elizabeth Woodford (1779-1843) who were married on the 14th June 1801.

John of Park Farm Place, Eltham in the County of Kent and of New Norfolk Street in the County of Middlesex was the eldest son of Sir Benjamin Hammet (c.1736-1800), Knight, of Wilton House, Sherford, near Taunton in the County of Somerset and of Park Farm Place aforesaid and his wife, Louisa Esdaile, whilst Elizabeth was the only daughter of Sir Ralph Woodford the 1st Baronet of Carleby (c.1735-1810) in the County of Lincolnshire and his wife, Gertrude Reesen. John and Elizabeth were married in the house of his father in New Norfolk Street within the Parish of St George Hanover Square on the 14th June 1801.

John apart from following his father as the Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1800 and 1811 (his death), was also a banker in the family business and a shareholder in the East India Company as well as serving as the Bailiff of Taunton from 1781 until once again his death in 1811 and was a Captain in the Duke of Gloucester’s Volunteer Infantry.

Ernest Augustus (1771-1851) was the fifth son of George III and Queen Charlotte. From 1786 to 1799 he was in Germany, first at Gottingen university then in the Hanoverian army. On his return he was created Duke of Cumberland where this new position included an income of £12,000 a year and an apartment in St. James' Palace. The initials EDC, for Ernest Duke [of] Cumberland, appear on much of his early plate. The initials EAFs, standing for Ernest Augustus Feideikommiss, were added to items forming part of the entailed estate after he succeeded as King of Hanover in 1838. The silver collection went with the exiled Kings to Vienna in 1866, and part was sold through Crichton Brothers, London, in 1924.