Ruzhnikov - Marquess of Breadalbane Silver Vase

Marquess of Breadalbane

Silver Vase Edward Barnard & Sons, London

A Highly Important Victorian Monumental Silver Vase Edward Barnard & Sons, London 1855-1856 silver hallmarks: London, sterling silver, 1855-1856, Queen Victoria duty mark maker’s mark of Edward Barnard and Sons inscribed on the rim: Breadalbane height: 1.07 m weight: 55 kg Provenance C. Taylor & Son on behalf of John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane (1796-1862), Breadalbane House, Park Lane, London Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane (1851-1922), Taymouth Castle, Scotland Literature The Barnard Ledgers, Victoria & Albert Museum’s archives, London J.P. Fallon. House of Barnard. A Notable Family of Manufacturing Silversmiths to the Trade. London, 2013, p. 506 - 508, illustrated in black and white p. 507 & 50

Monumental four-handled vase of 1.07 m high. The body is applied with four female figures and scrolling vines. The rim bears a stamp of the Breadalbane family collection. This stamp appears on many other pieces of silver of the same provenance.

The vase was described in the Barnard ledgers as follows: “the vase egg form body, undulated shelly mouth, collect round foot wht. astrigal vine leaf and grape collect. Round the body Four full length 20 inch draped female figures, wh. arms extended above the head & holding festoons of laurel which loop through a ring fixed in the neck of vase between each figure. Four vine stalk handles, one between each figure and terminating in vine trellis ornament covering the body�.

The piece was produced by the famous silversmiths Edward Barnard & Sons, one of the oldest silver manufacturers in England. The company was established circa 1680 in London by Anthony Nelme.

Edward Barnard (d. 1855) was first manager and in 1829 became the proprietor, trading as Edward Barnard & Sons. The company was purveyor to the court. Among many other royal commissions was the Lily font, a large silver-gilt baptismal font used in the christening services of members of the British Royal family.

The vase was commissioned by Charles Taylor & Son, Bristol jewellers and goldsmiths, on behalf of Marquess of Breadalbane in 1855. The total cost was £933, a price of a palatial estate at that time. For several decades this monumental creation was the focal point of the resplendent decoration of the Breadalbane London estate. Located on Park Lane in close proximity to Buckingham palace the mansion was frequented by the crème de la crème of the British nobility including the Royal family itself. A depiction of one of such lavish receptions appears in a special Supplement to Illustrated London, dated 17th of June 1856. The article described a visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, accompanied by the King of Portugal and Duc d’Opoto.

Charles Taylor & Son The firm of Charles Taylor & Son was established by Charles Taylor at 37 High Street, Bristol in 1805. In 1837, Charles entered into partnership with his son, Thomas Taylor, trading as Charles Taylor & Son, jewellers and goldsmiths.

Between circa 1857 and circa 1871, the firm had a branch at Holborn Circus, London.

Circa 1880, the firm was incorporated into the Bristol Goldsmiths’ Alliance.

The grand ball was given to nearly 1000 leading members of the aristocracy. For this occasion Marquess erected a ‘temporary’ dancing saloon.

According to the author of the article: “Her Majesty’s visit … may be regarded as an indication of the continuance of the cordial feelings with which the members of the House of Breadalbane have ever been regarded by the Souvereign”.

The estate was known for its spectacular decorations. No illustrations of the original interiors have survived but the documents mention a Gothic passage, an Elizabethan staircase in carved oak, and an Elizabethan room, reflecting the owner’s taste for ‘ancestral’ styles.

In 1860’s, after the London estate was sold, the vase was moved to the Taymouth Castle. It was the principal seat of the House of Breadalbane for centuries. In the middle of the 19th century it was totally remodeled by the Marquess on a magnificent scale.

The House of Breadalbane was one of the prominent and rich British aristocratic dynasties. Members of the clan were avid collectors of English silver and other works of art during the 19th century. The family has built one of the most celebrated collections of its time. After the demise of the last Marquess of Breadalbane the collection was dispersed and parts of it are in numerous museums, such as the British Museum, the National Museum of Scotland, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, and the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane was born on 26 October 1796 at Dundee, Angus, Scotland. He was the son of John Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane and Mary Turner Gavin. In 1821 he married Lady Elizabeth Baillie, daughter of George Baillie and Mary Pringle. He died on 8 November 1862 at age 66 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

He was educated at Eton, sat as Member of Parliament from 1820 to 1826 and from 1832 to 1834; from 1853 to 1858 he was Lord Chamberlain of the Household in Scotland. Breadalbane was also Rector of the University of Glasgow (1840-1842) and of Marischal College, Aberdeen, (18431845), President of the Society of Antiquaries (18441862) and Governor of the Bank of Scotland (1861-1862).

On his death the barony of Breadalbane, earldom of Ormelie and marquessate of Breadalbane became extinct. He was succeeded in the lordship of Glenorchy, viscountcy of Tay and Paintland and earldom of Breadalbane and Holland by his distant relative and namesake, John Campbell. The marquessate was revived in favour of the latter’s son in 1885, who became known as Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane.

George Hayter Portrait of John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane 1833 National Portrait Gallery, London

Design: Mariya Kiseleva Photography: Karen Bengall Printing: C3 Imagin