each shaped tapering oblong and with foliage heightened gadrooned border
43.5cm wide, 100oz 18dwt, 3,138gr (2)

The knife-tray was an essential part of the table service throughout the 19^th century, indeed there are no few than eight examples in the Royal collection. The earliest example there is an Old Sheffield plate example which unusually has three compartments. Its importance is perhaps reflected in its original cost as the Prince Regent paid over £150 for it in 1811. Also in the Royal collection is a pair of miniature examples which were made for Queen Mary’s famous doll house in 1924. While examples do turn up at auction, for example, one made by James Garrard, 1892, engraved with the arms of Charles John Spencer-Churchill, 9^th Duke of Marlborough, Sotheby’s, 13 October 2007, lot 98, pairs seem to be much rarer.