PRESS RELEASE

October 2017

From toast racks commissioned by Napoleon to a coffee pot used by a Russian queen, new catalogue shines light on silver in the Royal Collection

More than half a ton of silver has been conserved ahead of the publication of a new book which details over 350 artworks in the Royal Collection. Published on 2 November 2017, European Silver in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen is the first title for over 100 years to catalogue the magnificent holdings of silverware originating from Europe in the Royal Collection, from candlesticks and desk sets to an silver-gilt coffee pot belonging to .

Some of the most intricate and opulent items to feature in the catalogue raisonné are those collected by George IV for his Kunstkammer, a special collection of extremely fine works, many of which can be see in the Lantern Lobby of Windsor Castle today. In 1823 George purchased the spectacular Nautilus cup and cover (left) for 250 guineas which is equivalent to approximately £22,000 today. The high price reflected the unusually large shell and elaborate mount which features figures of Jupiter, Neptune, a mythical sea creature called a hippocamp and four double-tailed mermaids playing instruments. The cup and cover weighs almost 4kg and stands over half a metre high.

During conservation for the catalogue, a boat-shaped silver and gold inkstand, c.1810 acquired by Queen Mary when Duchess of York was found to be a musical instrument, with a winding mechanism concealed within a seal. The size of the seal limits the range of musical notes available, but the tune it plays is thought to be a popular refrain of the time. The inkstand bears the maker's mark of Stuttgart court goldsmith Johann Christian Sick.

An elaborate silver gilt tea service, complete with toast racks, was commissioned as a wedding gift by Napoleon Bonaparte for his adopted daughter Stéphanie de Beauharnais, who married Prince Charles of Baden on 7 April 1806. Other gifts highlighted in the catalogue include a silver, gilt and enamel centrepiece presented to Queen Victoria by her children and grandchildren on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee. Weighing over 40kg, the base of the centrepiece is engraved 'to a beloved mother and grandmother Queen Victoria in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of her reign'. Each of the children and grandchildren's coat of arms is engraved upon a lobe on a vase in the middle of the centrepiece, and Queen Victoria later recorded in her journal that she thought it 'a very handsome piece of plate'.

Queen Mary, consort of George V, was particularly fascinated with the Stuart and collected 'relics' which were displayed in a so-called 'Stuart Room' at Windsor Castle. In

Press Office, Royal Collection Trust, York House, St James’s Palace, London SW1A 1BQ T. +44 (0)20 7839 1377, [email protected], www.royalcollection.org.uk

1919 she purchased a caddinet, an elaborate tray to hold personal condiments and cutlery at a banquet table. Made in , the silver gilt tray was commissioned by Cardinal Henry Stuart and is now regarded as the most important piece of Italian silver in the Royal Collection. The coat-of-arms on the caddinet imply that it dates from before the death of Charles Edward Stuart (1720-88), and the design suggests it was produced in the mid- when Bonnie Prince Charlie's health was failing and Cardinal Henry Stuart would have been in line to inherit the claim to the English throne. The caddinet may now be seen by visitors at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

European Silver in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen is written by Kathryn Jones, Senior Curator of Decorative Arts, Royal Collection Trust. The catalogues raisonnés are produced in line with Royal Collection Trust’s responsibilities to care for, conserve and publish the Royal Collection, raising awareness and increasing knowledge of its remarkable holdings.

Ends

European Silver in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen By Kathryn Jones Published by Royal Collection Trust

Price £95.00 Hardback, 300 x 245 mm, 512 pages, over 1,000 colour illustrations ISBN 978 1 909741 37 9

Watch a conservation case study of the silver and gold inkstand here.

For further information and imagery, please contact the Royal Collection Trust Press Office, T. +44 (0)20 7839 1377, [email protected].

Notes to Editors

Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household, is responsible for the care of the Royal Collection and manages the public opening of the official residences of The Queen. Income generated from admissions and from associated commercial activities contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational programmes. Royal Collection Trust’s work is undertaken without public funding of any kind. The Royal Collection is among the largest and most important art collections in the world, and one of the last great European royal collections to remain intact. It comprises almost all aspects of the fine and decorative arts, and is spread among some 15 royal residences and former residences across the UK, most of which are regularly open to the public. The Royal Collection is held in trust by the Sovereign for her successors and the nation, and is not owned by The Queen as a private individual.

Press Office, Royal Collection Trust, York House, St James’s Palace, London SW1A 1BQ T. +44 (0)20 7839 1377, [email protected], www.royalcollection.org.uk