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 » Admiral Lord Nelson’s “Horatia” Service »
CHAMBERLAIN’S WORCESTER WATER PLATE FROM ADMIRAL LORD NELSON’S CELEBRATED “HORATIA” SERVICE Ordered at the factory by Admiral Lord Nelson in August 1802 The circular dish with double skin and hollow handles for filling with hot water, richly-painted in the Chamberlain’s ‘Fine Old Japan’ pattern, number 240, the Imari style floral decoration including pairs of green […]
. 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 » Above the salt »
This George III silver salt, with gilded interior, was made by Daniel Pontifex in London 1800. It belonged to Admiral Lord Nelson and probably formed part of a service of silver he purchased after the battle of Copenhagen in 1802 using funds granted him by Lloyd’s Coffee House. Pontifex also supplied the Copenhagen service with […]
. View Post » Going to bed with Nelson »
This George III silver chamber candlestick with its extinguisher, made by Thomas Hannam and John Crouch in London 1775, belonged to Admiral Lord Nelson. It is engraved with his San Josef crest granted to Nelson when he was made a knight of the Order of Bath after the battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797. […]
. View Post » Dining with Admiral Lord Nelson »
This important 26 piece collection of silver flatware from Lord Nelson’s personal service – the largest group remaining in private hands – illustrates the evolution of the admiral’s armorial bearings as he accumulated honours and titles in the years leading to his death at Trafalgar. The earliest pieces dated 1796/7 and made by London silversmiths William […]
. View Post » Pushing the boat out: Captain Henry Blackwood’s silver jolly boats »
A very rare pair of George III Old Sheffield Plate “Jolly Boat” wine trolleys, circa 1810, engraved with the family crest of Blackwood for Admiral Sir Henry Blackwood (1770-1832). Length of each 33cm (13in) This very rare pair of Old Sheffield Plate double wine coasters recalls one of Admiral Lord Nelson’s most admired frigate captains, and a hero of […]
. View Post » The face of Nelson »
In 2014, in association with Sotheby’s, I identified, researched and negotiated the sale to the Royal Naval Museum Portsmouth of a newly-discovered life mask in plaster of Admiral Lord Nelson. The mask, discovered in a private collection in the USA, is a finer example with earlier provenance than two other similar masks: one also at RNM, the other […]
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