Late Georgian, pair of Old Sheffield Plate entree dishes and covers. The entree dishes and covers feature gadrooned borders and fixed handles. The armorial is to either side of the cover. This pair of entree dishes are from the estate of the late Sir John and Lady smith of Shottesbrooke Park.
The armorial commemorates the 1849 marriage of Eric Carrington Smith and Mary Maberly. Eric Smith was a banker and Deputy Lieutenant of the City of London. A copy of the heraldic report will be given to the buyer.
Sir John Smith was born into the Smith banking family and served in the Fleet Air Arm in World War Two. He was a Conservative politician and served as Speaker of the House of Commons. Sir John and Lady Smith founded the Landmark Trust, a charity which restores quirky and historic buildings as holiday lets.
In very good order with copper bleed around the areas of one handle & the crests. Some very small losses to the top of one handle. Moderate surface wear commensurate with age and the fact that these are serving dishes. Wear to the borders of the entree dishes, adjacent to the gadrooning.
One dish features the two sun mark of Matthew Boulton.
Approximate weight for the pair is 3.83 kilos.
Approximate dimensions of one are 30.5 cm length, 22.5 cm width and 14 cm height.