Fine Silver from the Estate of Patricia Ann Black Smyth: Sold Without Reserve to Benefit Berea College

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Oct 18 | 11:00 AM EDT

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Lot 102

An Important Victorian Silver Presentation Covered Serving Dish of British Railroad Interest

Lot 102

An Important Victorian Silver Presentation Covered Serving Dish of British Railroad Interest

Status:

Closed

Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000

Estimate$1,000 – $2,000

Status

Closed

An Important Victorian Silver Presentation Covered Serving Dish of British Railroad Interest

Benjamin Smith, London, 1839

the finial in the form of an arm gripping a roll of parchment surmounting a lobed dome with an applied plaque reading "Presented to Rob.t Stephenson Esq. Civil Engineer by a numerous body of friends in testimony of their admiration of his talents and esteem for the integrity and independence of his professional character. Nov 16th, 1839', the dome with another plaque depicting the Stephenson coat of arms and a third plaque with Classical Gods & Godessess extolling the promise of locomotives, the dome set within a conforming circular dish.
hallmarked for Sterling on underside of lid and dish
52 ozt 14 dwt
Width 11 1/4 inches.

Property from the Estate of Patricia Ann Black Smyth, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sold to Benefit Berea College, Berea, Kentucky

Provenance:

Sanda Lipton Antique Silver, London, England

This dish was part of a suite of silver articles that was presented to Robert Stephenson Esq., F.R.S. (1803-1859) by a group of subscribers consisting of prominent businessmen involved in the construction of railroads in Britain in the early 19th century. Stephenson had established himself as one of the premiere civil engineers of the era and as an honest and reliable adjudicator of disputes between contractors and directors of railways. Beginning with the ‘London & Birmingham’ line, Stephenson also served in this capacity during construction of the ‘Derby Junction’, ‘North Midland’ and the ‘York & Midland’ railways. As a way of showing their appreciation for Mr. Stephenson’s equitable judgement, a committee was established in July of 1839 to solicit funds for a gift to reflect the high esteem in which he was held amongst those who knew and worked with him. £1,250 was raised from hundreds of subscribers (a modern equivalent of over £130,000) with which to purchase the tribute gifts, the focal point of which is a silver epergne which is now in possession of the National Railway Museum in York. The items were presented to Mr. Stephenson at a dinner in his honor held at the Albion Hotel, Aldersgate Street, London. The dinner included over 200 subscribers who had donated to the committee along with other dignitaries including Robert’s father, George Stephenson, a similarly illustrious figure in railroads.

Robert Stephenson’s contributions to the railways extend beyond his ability to arbitrate between parties. He is considered one of the most important engineers of the 19th century. His technique for building iron railroad bridges, such as the Brittania Bridge in Wales, would become the standard for iron bridges until their replacement by steel decades later. He was engineer-in-chief for railroads across Britain and several other European nations. He was elected a member of parliament for Whitby in 1847 (a position he served in until his death 12 years later), named a fellow of the Royal Society and served as the president of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and the Institute of Civil Engineers. Upon his death, he was buried in the nave of Westminster Abbey.

Works Cited:

Bailey, Michael R., Robert Stephenson - The Eminent Engineer, 2017, pp. 61-62.

Jefferson, J.C. and William Pole, The Life of Robert Stephenson, F.R.S.: Late President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, 1864, vol. 1, pp. 240-243.

Patricia Ann Black Smyth (1925-2018) was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of Ernest Bateman Black and Faye Bunyan Black. She attended Miss Crosby's School in Illinois and graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she was a lifetime member of the Wellesley Friends of the Library Organization. Mrs. Smyth also served as a member of the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri, and was a long-time docent at the Art Institute of Chicago. Hindman is thrilled to present Mrs. Smyth’s refined and diverse collection, which will be sold without reserve to benefit Berea College in Berea, Kentucky.

Berea College was founded in 1855 with the express mission of educating both women and men of all racial backgrounds. It is the South’s first racially integrated and co-educational college and is guided by the motto from Acts 17:26: “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.”

Only students with high academic promise and limited financial means are accepted, and every student receives a Tuition Promise Scholarship—no student pays tuition. As a Work College, every student works at least 10 hours per week to help pay for housing, meals and personal expenses. Berea students have the lowest amount of student debt in the country, and half graduate debt free.

Today, Berea serves over 1,600 students, the majority of which are from Kentucky and Appalachia, although its student body hails from over 40 states and 70 countries. Berea depends heavily on alumni and friends to continue to fulfill the no-tuition promise made to every student.

In overall good, stable condition. Light to moderate surface scratches throughout consistent with polishing and use. The finial attached with a wing-nut, the applied plaques on dome attached with square nuts. The dome rim bent slightly out of round, sits secure to dish but does not sit totally flush. Some slightly heavier surface scratching to underside consistent with shelfwear. No other significant condition issues noted. Additional images available upon request.

The physical condition of lots in our auctions can vary due to age, normal wear and tear, previous damage, and restoration/repair. All lots are sold "AS IS," in the condition they are in at the time of the auction, and we and the seller make no representation or warranty and assume no liability of any kind as to a lot's condition. Any reference to condition in a catalogue description or a condition report shall not amount to a full accounting of condition. Condition reports prepared by Freeman's staff are provided as a convenience and may be requested from the Department prior to bidding.

The absence of a posted condition report on the Freeman's website or in our catalogues should not be interpreted as commentary on an item's condition. Prospective buyers are responsible for inspecting a lot or sending their agent or conservator to inspect the lot on their behalf, and for ensuring that they have requested, received and understood any condition report provided by Freeman's.

Please email for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

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Nick Coombs

Vice President, Senior Specialist, European Furniture & Decorative Arts

nickcoombs@freemansauction.com 312 280 1212

Nick Coombs is a senior specialist in the Furniture & Decorative Arts department and also the Coins, Medals & Banknotes department at Freeman's.
Prior to joining Freeman's in 2014, Mr. Coombs worked for PCGS Currency in Peoria, Illinois, where he was responsible for the grading and authentication of paper money. This enabled him to travel to dozens of coin and currency shows a year and develop a lifelong passion for numismatics. In addition to heading the Coins, Medals & Banknotes department at Freeman's, Mr. Coombs works closely with Furniture & Decorative Arts department and has directed auctions for philatelics, memorabilia, scientific instruments, and fountain pens. He received a BA in art history from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a master of letters in art and art world practice from the University of Glasgow.

Please email for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Fine Silver from the Estate of Patricia Ann Black Smyth: Sold Without Reserve to Benefit Berea College

An Important Victorian Silver Presentation Covered Serving Dish of British Railroad Interest

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