13th Sep, 2024 9:30 GMT/BST
The Swinton Sale
48
A George VI Silver Seal-Matrix of the Duchy of Lancaster
Probably Designed by Edward Carter Preston, Supplied by the Royal Mint, Circa 1951
in two parts, one with a depiction of King George VI enthroned on King Edward’s chair and wearing full regalia, within Latin inscription, the other with the arms of the Duchy of Lancaster, within Latin inscription, in fitted red leather-covered case, gilt-tooled with the Royal cypher and title of seal, labelled inside for the Royal Mint
the case 26cm wide, the seal 12.7cm diameter, 132oz 19dwt, 4,135gr
Provenance:
Philip Cunliffe-Lister, Viscount Swinton and later 1st Earl of Swinton (1884-1972) as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and by descent.
This seal-matix for the Duchy of Lancaster, and the previous lot for the County Palatine of Lancaster, are rare survivals as, while it was normal that the holder of them would be allowed to keep them as a 'perquisite', or 'perk', of office it was however expected that the keeper would deface them so that the seal could not be used by anyone who did not have the authority to do so. It was tradition that the owner would use the silver the seals were made from to produce an item to commemorate the original use. For example, Sir Nicholas Bacon (1509-79) used the silver from the 'Great Seal of Englande' as used by Queen Mary I to produce three cups, one for each of his children, one of which is now in the collection of the British Museum (1915,0313.1). Perhaps the most famous example is the salver made for Sir Robert Walpole by Paul de Lamerie. This example, engraved by William Hogart with the seal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is now in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (M.9-1956).
Sold for £12,000
Estimated at £3,000 - £5,000
Auction: The Swinton Sale, 13th Sep, 2024
THE SELECTED CONTENTS OF DYKES HILL HOUSE, MASHAM, NORTH YORKSHIRE, FORMERLY THE PROPERTY OF THE 2nd EARL AND COUNTESS OF SWINTON AND SOLD ON THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE 4th EARL AND FAMILY AND THE TRUSTEES OF THE LORD SWINTON WILL TRUST
The Swinton Sale, will include a selection of fine English and Continental Furniture, Paintings, Sculpture, Chinese Works of Art, Silver, Meissen, Sèvres, Books and Objets d’Art from one of Yorkshire’s most important landed estates.
The Swinton Estate which spans approximately 20,000 acres encompasses some of the most beautiful landscape in North Yorkshire and has been in the ownership of the Cunliffe-Lister family since the 1880s. Dykes Hill House, close to Swinton Park, became the family seat and home to the 2nd Earl and Lady Masham following a life changing injury when she was thrown from her horse shortly before their wedding in 1959, causing her to be paralysed from the waist down.
The 2nd Earl died in 2006 and his widow Susan Cunliffe-Lister, Countess of Swinton, Baroness Masham of Ilton, DL, continued to lead a full life as a British crossbench member of the House of Lords. Amongst her many achievements, she was a former Paralympic athlete and was also the founder and lifelong President of the Spinal Injuries Association. She died on 12th March 2023.
Whilst a number of the chattels have been retained by the family, the remaining contents of Dykes Hill House provide a rare glimpse of what epitomises the quintessential taste of the English aristocracy.
Viewing
Wednesday 11th - Thursday 12th September 10am-4pm, and the morning of the sale from 8am.
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