A fine early George III sterling silver twin handled cup and cover, London 1760 by Charles Wright and Thomas Whipham

Of baluster form upon a circular foot, the twin double C scroll handles with acanthus moulding and fruiting vine leading to a leaf calyx base junction, one handle with the terminal formed as a cast maiden, the other formed as the heads of a bacchanalian satyr. The body with contemporaneous decoration of embossed fruiting vine and lion mask, the reverse with a scene of two Putti on a terrace eating grapes. The obverse with an engraved coat of arms with another on an escutcheon of pretence, reserved in an embossed C scroll and rocaille cartouche upon a terrace. Spiral fluting to the underside of the body, the foot with a flat chased decorative band above embossed fruiting vine. The removable double domed lid surmounted by a cast finial in the form of a basket of plenty, with fruit and vine leaves, the rest similarly embossed with fruiting vine. Fully marked underneath and to lid flange.

Height – 35.5 cm / 14 inches

Weight – 2519 grams / 69.41 ozt

The arms are for Houghton with Ashurst on an escutcheon of pretence

For Sir Henry Hoghton 6^th Bt (1728 - 1795) and his first wife, Elizabeth Ashurst (d. 1762), who were married 25th June 1760.

Henry was the only son of Philip Hoghton and his wife, Elizabeth Sclater (d.1731), the daughter of Thomas Sclater, of Denham in the County of Lancashire.

Philip Houghton was the second son of Sir Charles Houghton (1643-1710), the 4th Baronet of Hoghton, Co. Lancashire and his wife, The Honourable Mary Skeffington (d.1732), the daughter of John Skeffington, the 2nd Viscount Massereene (d.1695). Henry succeeded his uncle, Sir Henry Houghton, the 5th Baronet of Hoghton (1679-1768) as the 6th baronet on the 23rd February 1768.

Elizabeth was the only daughter and heiress of William Ashurst, of Hedingham Castle in the County of Essex.

Thomas Whipham, son of William Whipham of Layton was apprenticed to Thomas Farren on the 3rd June 1728, free 7th June 1737. Charles Wright son of Thomas Wright of Sheffield was apprenticed to Whipham on the 3rd June 1747 and free 3rd July 1754 and they became partners on the 24th Oct 1757. Wright would have registered a mark alone in the missing 1758-1773 Largeworker’s Register, given that his mark is found upon the flagon and communion cup and cover of the Eton Chapel of Ease for 1768 and that Wright & Whipham articles are found marked until 1767, we can presume the partnership to have disbanded by 1768. Thomas Whipham was a Warden of Goldsmiths Hall 1765-7, Prime Warden in 1771 and dies in 1785. Charles Wright was a Warden of Goldsmiths Hall 1783-5, resigned in 1790 and dies in 1815.