Jewel box with pin cushion
Date1729-1730
Maker
John White
English, working ca. 1719 - 1789
OriginEngland, London
MediumSilver (Sterling); gold (Silver-gilt)
DimensionsH: 4 1/2"; L: 7 5/8"; W: 5 7/16"
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1975-57
DescriptionCASKETLabel TextThis box was part of a large toilet service of at least twenty-five pieces. Except for a pair of candlesticks of 1755/56 by John Quantock of London, all bear the mark of John White and London hallmarks for 1729/30. The service was occasioned by the marriage in 1729 of Henry Somerset, 3rd duke of Beaufort, to Frances Scudamore. He probably presented the service to his brother Charles Noel Somerset, later 4th duke of Beaufort, on the latter's marriage in 1740 to Elizabeth Berkeley. The engraved arms were altered to reflect this change in ownership--except on this piece where they appear on the interior and were left unchanged. Originally plain, the service was probably gilded at this time, explaining the discrepancy between the inscribed and present weights of this piece.The marriage of Charles Noel Somerset to Elizabeth Berkeley was of immense importance to her brother, Norborne Berkeley, who was to serve in Williamsburg as governor of Virginia from 1768 until his death in 1770. In the year after this alliance of influential Gloucestershire families, Berkeley became a member of Parliament. He never married and remained extremely close to his sister and the Beauforts. On the death of the 4th duke in 1756, he was an executor of the duke's estate and became, in effect, supervisor of the properties and interests and guardian of his nephew, the 5th duke, who would not reach maturity for nine years. He became Baron Botetourt in 1764 and took his seat in the House of Lords. He was Groom of the Bedchamber, 1760-64; Lord of the Bedchamber, 1767-70; and Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, 1762-66. His will of 1766 provided for the use of the bulk of his personal and real estate by his sister until her death, which occurred in 1799, after which it would revert to the 5th duke of Beaufort. During the latter period of her life, Elizabeth, duchess dowager of Beaufort, resided at Stoke Gifford, the Berkeley family seat.
Single rectangular boxes from toilet services, fitted with a lock and usually somewhat smaller than the customary pair of comb boxes, would appear to have been intended for jewelry. Such boxes usually house the pincushion, if not treated as an individual item. The invoice for Paul de Lamerie's famous toilet service for the Honorable George Treby, dated March 5, 1725, includes the entry: "for the lock to the Juelle Tronke." Parker and Wakelin sold Sir William Draper in 1771 "a toilet service which included a jewel box with blue velvet covered pin cushion lid."Inscription(s)Arms of Henry Somerset, 3rd duke of Beaufort (1707-1746), of Badminton, Gloucestershire, and those of his wife, Frances Scudamore (b. 1711), only child and heir of James Scudamore of Holme Lacy, Herefordshire, borne in pretense, with ducal coronet above, Beaufort supporter to the left and Scudamore supporter to the right, and Beaufort motto below, engraved in center of plate on underside of cover. Beaufort crest engraved on face of cover.Mark(s)Fully marked on underside of base.ProvenanceHenry Somerset, 3rd duke of Beaufort (1707-1746), and his wife, Frances Scudamore (b. 1711), married in 1729 and divorced in 1743
his brother, Charles Noel Somerset, 4th duke of Beaufort (1709-1756), and his wife, Elizabeth Berkeley (1719-1799), married in 1740
their son, Henry Somerset, 5th duke of Beaufort (1744-1803), and his wife, Elizabeth Boscowan (d. 1828), married in 1766
their son, Henry Charles Somerset, 6th duke of Beaufort (1766-1835), and his wife, Charlotte Sophia Leveson-Gower (d. 1854), married in 1791 their son, Henry Somerset, 7th duke of Beaufort (1792-1853), and his wives, Georgiana Frederica Fitzroy, married in 1814,and Emily Frances Smith, married in 1822
their son by his second marriage, Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th duke of Beaufort (1824-1899), and his wife, Georgiana Charlotte Curzon (d.1906) (sold by Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 1895; purchased by Charles Davis, London)
Granville Frederick Richard Farquhar (1849-1934) and his wife, Helen Margaretta Livingstone (d. 1929), married in 1896 (sold at Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 1930; purchased by J. Rochelle Thomas, London)
Charles E. Dunlap, New York (purchased from Crichton Bros., London; sold at Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 1963);
American private collections (1963-1975)
Thomas Lumley Ltd., London
Acquired by CWF in 1975.
