William IV Silver Gilt Castle-Top Vinaigrette - Tintern Abbey
Edwin Jones, Birmingham 1836
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An extremely fine and rare William IV silver gilt Vinaigrette of rectangular form with engine turned decoration to the base and sides. The lid with a high relief scene depicting Tintern Abbey in Wales within a plain border. The silver gilt grille pierced with scrolling fronds and three flower heads.
By Edwin Jones, Birmingham, 1836
Sold - £5,850.00
Condition
In very fine condition with no damage or repair
Dimensions
H
28 mm
(1.10 inches)
W
40 mm
(1.57 inches)
D
10 mm
(0.39 inches)
Weight
24.00 Grams
(0.77 troy ounces)
Country
England
Stock Code
MSC129
Medium
Silver Gilt
Literature
Tintern Abbey was originally founded by Cistercian monks in 1131 AD. in the reign of Henry I. Between 1270 and 1301 the Abbey was rebuilt and by the end of the rebuilding, around four hundred monks lived in the complex. The Black Death arrived in 1349 and affected Abbey life badly but it continued to operate until 1536. In that year the Abbey was part of the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Within a few years the lead was stripped from the roof and the building began to decay. The Abbey then became a source of building stone and only in the eighteenth century was any interest shown in the ruin. Around 1760 the site was cleaned up and visitors to the Wye Valley began to be entranced with the beauty of the site and surroundings. Turner was the best known artist to visit Tintern at the end of that century along with the poet Wordsworth. His poem Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey became a standard text for English students throughout the English speaking world.
