Basket, Cake

Object Name:

Basket, Cake

Object ID:

1933.002.01

Creator:

Vere, John Henry (1740- ); Lutwyche, William (1741-1782) -- Silversmith

Place of Origin:

London, England

Date:

1767-1768

Description:

Cake Basket. Made by John Henry Vere and William Lutwyche, London, England; 1767-1768. Silver. Oval base embossed with band of curved scrolls alternating with beading, radiating from center; on pieced concave foot. Sprays of stamped roses, leaves, grapes clusters and wheat heads attached to band of flared vertical wires forming body; Scalloped rim with beaded edge. Leaf and vine cast and applied in relief on top of scrolled pivot hinged bail handle, attached to rim of body. Hallmarks stamped on side of foot: 1) mark with four lobes, "W" in left lobe and "L" in bottom lobe; 2) left facing lion passant in reticulated shield; 3) leopard's head with crown in a shield; and 4) stylized serif "M" within a shield (date letter for 1767-1768).

Material:

Metal
Silver

Dimensions:

H-4 W-11.5 L-13.75 inches

Provenance:

Note in accession folder, unsigned, but probably written by Lucy Frances Appleton Fehse (1850-1932): "This cake-basket belonged to our mother, Frances Anne Atkinson, when she married our father, Edward Appleton, Sept. 29, 1842. She said it was inherited from her grandfather, William King Atkinson, and she thought it very probably that it had formerly belonged to Col. Theodore Atkinson, who left all his property to him under these circumstances..." History of ownership may have begun with Hon. Theodore Atkinson IV (1697-1779), or possibly his son and daughter-in-law, Theodore Jr. (1737-1769) and Frances Deering Wentworth (1744/6-1813), who married in 1762, or possibly George King Atkinson (1730/4-1788); in any case, the piece became part of the collection of silver at the Atkinson mansion in Portsmouth (each of the people mentioned resided at the mansion). Theodore IV bequeathed his fortune, including silver pieces, to his cousin's son, Hon. George King (1730/34-1788), with the proviso that he change his surname to Atkinson (which he did in 1779). Upon the death of George's wife, Susannah Sparhawk Atkinson (1750-1796), the Atkinson property was bequeathed to George's nephew, William King (1765-1820), who also changed his name to Atkinson. Most of the property was subsequently inherited by William's daughter, Frances Atkinson Freeman (1797-1883), however, in her will, Susanna Sparhawk Atkinson specified that "...my silver wrought breadbasket...," after the decease of her nephew William K. Atkinson, then "become the Property of his Son, Theodore." From Theodore King Atkinson (1794-1822), the basket was inherited by Theodore's daughter, Frances Anne Atkinson (1817-1880), and to Frances's daughters, Lucy Frances Appleton Fehse (1850-1932) and Alice Atkinson Appleton (1854-1924). There is a 1922 note from Alice and Lucy's 2nd cousin, Martha Williams Pike, which states, "my cousin Miss Alice Atkinson Appleton has loaned Col. Theodore Atkinson's silver cake basket to the Museum of Fine Arts." Alice pre-deceased Lucy. The donor, Gracia Randall (1896-1970), inherited the basket and Appleton family items from Lucy; stated in Lucy's will, she left "all the rest ... to my very dear friend and to whom I am deeply indebted, Mrs. Grace R(andall). Jermyn of said Melrose, to her own use and behoof forever." The inventory included "dishes, table, books, cake basket, pictures, plate ware, miniatures, linen, prints, and unframed pictures."

Credit Line:

Gift of the Heirs of Gracia Randall

People:

Atkinson, Theodore (1697-1779), Atkinson, Theodore Jr. (1737-1769), Atkinson, George King (1730-1788), Atkinson, Susanna (1750-1796), Atkinson, William King (1765-1820), Atkinson, Theodore King (1794-1822), Atkinson, Frances Anne (1817-1880), Fehse, Lucy F. Appleton (1850-1932), Appleton, Alice Atkinson (1854-1924), Randall, Gracia (1896-1970), Vere, John Henry (1740- ), Lutwyche, William (1741-1782)

Subjects:

Silver, Rococo, Dining, Imports, Trade