Back to search results

PRESENTATION BOX

Creator(s): William Hamy (Maker)

On view in: French Drawing Room


About this object

Beneath the raised border of acorns that encircles this round box appears a band of musical instruments - a lyre, violin, drums, trumpets, tubas, violins, and harps, with sprays of leaves between them and a rose and a thistle at the top - all made in three-color gold on a stippled ground. In the center a diamond letter R is surmounted by an enameled crown set in pearls and flanked by branches of oak leaves in gold. The whole is encircled by a band of diamonds. At the bottom an open book in white gold is engraved at the right with a sheet of music. At the left it has an inscription. The bottom of the box bears an outer border chased with a band of roses and thistles as well as two grilles on a stippled ground. At the center, encircled by a border of shamrocks set with tiny emeralds, is an engraved inscription. Engraved inside the cover is the coat of arms of the Earl of Rathdowne, with a dragon and a lion as supports. Above this appears the earl's coronet and below it is his motto.

Object name:
PRESENTATION BOX
Made from:
gold -- silver -- enamel -- diamonds -- emeralds -- pearls -- stone
Made in:
Dublin, Ireland
Date made:
1823
Size:
3 × 10 cm (1 3/16 × 3 15/16 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
11.134.1-2
Class:
GOLD
Signature marks:
MARKS W.H for maker William Hamy; Date letter C in oval (for Dublin 1823); Griffin's head raised, fineness mark of 18 karat gold INSCRIPTIONS Charter Glee / Welcome Sons of Harmony / Composed and dedicated / To the Beef Steak Club [on cover], Presented / by the Members of the / Beefsteak Club / of Dublin to / the Earl of Rathdowne / In testimony of their high respect / for him, and as a mark of their / unanimous approbation of his / Lordship's conduct during the / many years he has been / President / of their Society / 1823 [on bottom], Fortiter, Fideliter, Foeliciter [Inside cover] MONOGRAM Crowned R [monogram of Earl of Rathdowne] [On cover]
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973