A SET OF FOUR GEORGE III SILVER CANDLESTICKS AND A PAIR OF TWO-LIGHT CANDELABRA EN SUITE

MARK OF JOHN MEWBURN, LONDON, 1806, THE CANDELABRA BASES 1809, THE SOCKETS 1807; THE BRANCHES WITH MARK OF ROBERT GARRARD, LONDON, 1860

Details

Each circular base cast and chased with rocaille and shells and with gadrooned borders, the tapering stems cast with rocaille and shell knops, with a spool shaped socket with detachable nozzles, the candelabra with detachable three light branches, the candelabra sockets each engraved with a crest with earl's coronet above, marked on bases, branches, branch sockets, drip-pans and nozzles
The candlesticks 11⅜in. (29 cm.) high, the candelabra: 16 3/4 in. (42.5 cm.) high
333 oz. 8 dwt. (10,370 gr.)
Provenance

John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney (1764-1831), by descent to his son,
John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney (1805-1890),
The late Earl Sydney G.C.B.; Christie's, London, 17-18 May 1891, lot 95 and 96, (£163 and £108 to Steinkopf).
Lot Essay

John Townsend, 2nd Viscount Sydney was a descendent of Suffolk landowner Charles Townsend, 2nd Viscount Townsend (1674–1738). John’s father, the 2st Viscount was a politician who had been raised to the peerage as Baron and later Viscount Sydney. The cities of Sydney, Nova Scotia and Sydney, Australia, were named after him.
John also entered politics sitting as M.P. for the Isle of Wight from 1786 until 1790. He then sat as member for Whitchurch. He was a supporter of Pitt’s administration, but very rarely spoke in parliament, however, he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs and was a Lord of the Treasury.
Following the death of his father in 1800 he inherited the viscountcy and was made Lord of the Bedchamber to King George III. The King also made him Ranger of Hyde Park and St. James’s Park from 1807 until his death in 1831. It is possible that he received these candelabra, and the accompanying set of four candlesticks and a pair of three-light candelabra, also sold at Christies in 1892, as a perquisite of office. The three light candelabra were given by H.M. King George V and Queen Mary to T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on the occasion of their marriage in November 1935. They were subsequently sold by the family at Christie's London on 13 December 2019, lot 18.