The Nelson Map, Norfolk »
In 2022, I created The Nelson Map for the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Admiral Lord Nelson’s birthplace village of Burnham Thorpe in North Norfolk. Based on a survey of Norfolk published in 1797, the map highlights places of especial interest to Nelson’s early life including his school in Norwich and the houses […]
. View Post » Nelson in His Own Words »
In October 2022 I curated an exhibition at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth of Nelson letters from the collection of the The Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation in Athens. The collection includes never-before-seen letters from Nelson to his mistress Emma, Lady Hamilton, and orders written by the admiral in the days leading up to […]
. View Post » Oliver Cromwell’s Watch »
A mid-17th Century Puritan silver fob watch by William Clay, circa 1645, verge movement with gut fusee and worm-and-wheel set up, the top plate with pierced balance cock engraved William Clay fecit, supported on truncated pyramidal Egyptian pillars, the circular face having a single steel beetle hand, Roman numerals and 15-minute chapter within an outer […]
. View Post » Captain Broke’s sea-going silver dishes from HMS Shannon »
A graduated set of four George III seagoing silver meat dishes by William Stroud, London 1811, decorated with the coat of arms and crest of Captain Philip Broke RN (1776-1841), commander of HMS Shannon in the famous action with USS Chesapeake in 1813. Each plain oval with gadroon edging, dimensions respectively approx: 15 x 11 […]
. View Post » Silver cup for Surgeon at Waterloo »
WATERLOO INTEREST: A George III antique silver cup and cover Mitchell & Russell, Edinburgh 1818 A fine and large antique silver cup and cover, body with gadrooning and fruit and floral decoration, standing on reeded foot, engraved, obverse, with family coat of arms and motto of HUNTER and, reverse, with regimental badge and motto of […]
. View Post » Newly-rediscovered portrait of Emma, Lady Hamilton as Ariadne »
RICHARD WESTALL RA (1765–1836) Portrait of Emma, Lady Hamilton as Ariadne; shown half-length on a couch, turned to right and looking up, wearing a loose gown which partially reveals her breast; rocks with foliage in the background Oil on canvas PUBLISHED: Mezzotint engraved by W.T.Annis (active 1798-1812) EXHIBITED: Probably Royal Academy,1805 as ‘Richard Westall… 190. […]
. View Post » Peterloo Magistrates Cup »
PETERLOO MASSACRE INTEREST: A monumental Regency silver-gilt presentation cup and cover, Peter and William Bateman, London, 1812, PRESENTED TO ONE OF THE MAGISTRATES AT PETERLOO. vase form with borders of military trophies including shields, swords, drums, cannon and cannon balls, plumed helmets and laurel, applied obverse with a similar trophy pendant suspended from crossed fasces, […]
. View Post » Nelson’s Lost Jewel »
To coincide with the publication of my new book “Nelson’s Lost Jewel: The Extraordinary Story of the Lost Diamond Chelengk”, celebrated London jewellers Symbolic & Chase commissioned an exact replica of the fabled lost jewel based on a drawing of the Chelengk discovered in the College of Arms. Made by master goldsmith Philip Denyer, the […]
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