London, 1738 – George II Sterling Silver Mug By Richard Bayley

An elegant sterling silver mug of baluster form, raised on a slightly flared moulded circular foot.
The plain body is finished with a subtly everted rim and fitted with a double-scroll handle, cast in two sections and subsequently joined, terminating in a moulded thumbpiece. The restrained elegance of its design, the harmonious balance of its proportions and the quality of its craftsmanship perfectly illustrate the refined aesthetic of London silver under the reign of George II.

Hallmarks
• Lion passant (Sterling silver);
• Crowned leopard's head (London);
• Date letter C for 1738;
• Maker's mark: RB for Richard BAYLEY.

Dimensions
• Height: 11.6 cm (4.57 in.)
• Diameter: 8.6 cm (3.39 in.)
• Length: 12.8 cm (5.04 in.)

Weight: 331 g (10.64 troy oz.)

George II period.


RICHARD BAYLEY

Richard BAYLEY ranks among the leading London silversmiths of the first half of the eighteenth century.

Having served his apprenticeship under Charles OVERING and subsequently John GIBBONS, he was admitted to the Freedom of the Goldsmiths' Company in 1706 and established his workshop in Foster Lane, at the heart of London's historic goldsmiths' quarter.

His distinguished career led him to the highest offices of the Company. Appointed to the Court of Assistants in 1732, he served as Warden from 1746 to 1748 before being elected Prime Warden in 1751, one of the most prestigious positions within the Goldsmiths' Company.

Arthur GRIMWADE notes that Richard BAYLEY particularly excelled in the production of finely made plain hollow ware, including tankards, mugs, jugs, teapots and coffee pots. The present mug is a fine example of the type of silverware that established the reputation of his workshop.


The English Mug in the Eighteenth Century

Although lidded tankards remain the best-known forms of English silver, open mugs were also produced throughout the first half of the eighteenth century. Their baluster profile, restrained elegance and practical suitability for everyday use made them one of the most characteristic forms of domestic silver during the reign of George II.

The present example fully belongs to this tradition. Preserved in excellent condition, it perfectly conveys the refined aesthetic characteristic of English silver produced during the second quarter of the eighteenth century.

This type of mug is represented in major public collections, notably the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, both of which preserve examples belonging to the same typological family.

With its remarkably balanced proportions, restrained decoration and superb craftsmanship, this mug perfectly reflects the English taste of the first half of the eighteenth century, where beauty resides less in ornament than in the purity of line and the excellence of workmanship. This search for measured elegance remains one of the defining characteristics of London silver under George II.

The design of its handle, distinguished by its elegant double-scroll profile, recalls that of the celebrated Bramham Moor Race Trophy Cup, the exceptional silver-gilt trophy executed by Richard BAYLEY circa 1730 and sold at Christie's New York on 21 October 2003 (Important Silver, Objects of Vertu..., lot 441; estimate: USD 220,000–320,000).

Works by Richard BAYLEY are today preserved in numerous public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston; the Krannert Art Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; and the Cincinnati Art Museum, reflecting Richard BAYLEY's prominent place among the leading London silversmiths of the first half of the eighteenth century.