A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 1
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 2
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 3
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 4
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 5
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 6
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 7
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 8
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX - photo 9

A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX

Lot 66
06.07.2023 12:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 69 300
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
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Archive
ID 992796
Lot 66 | A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX
Estimate value
£ 70 000 – 100 000
A GEORGE III GOLD AND ENAMEL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON FREEDOM BOX

BY GABRIEL WIRGMAN, LONDON, 1780, RETAILED BY GABRIEL LECKEY

Rectangular, the cover inset with an oval enamel plaque painted with a coat-of-arms framed by laurel garlands within a gold frame of palm leaves below a coronet and a laurel wreath against a naval trophy on a sablé ground, the front engraved with the arms of the Corporation of the City of London with motto and dragon supporters flanked by urns, the back with the initials GBR and the short ends with military trophies in oval panels hung with bunting above laurel, the corners with draped pilasters, below leafy swags on a reeded ground, the interior engraved with inscription, marked in body and on flange

4 1/2 in. (113 mm.) wide

gross weight 15 oz. 17 dwt. (494 gr.)

The arms and the motto 'Domine Dirige Nos' are those Rodney, for Rear Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney 1st Bt. (1718-1792).



The inscription engraved in the cover reads: KENNETT MAYOR / A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London on Monday the 6th, day of March 1780./ A Motion was made and question put, That the Freedom of this City be presented to Sir George Brydges Rodney Baronet Rear Admiral and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Fleet at Gibraltar in testimony of the Grateful Sense this court entertains of the Signal and important Victory obtaind [sic] by him on the 16th, & 17th of January last over the Spanish Squadron commanded by Don Juan Langara wherein the Spanish Admiral and the greatest Part of his squadron were either taken or destroyed, the same was unanimously resolved in the affirmation and ordered accordingly'.





Provenance

Decreed at a meeting of the Court of the Common Council of the City of London held on 6 March 1780 for the Freedom of the City and a gold box to the value of 100 guineas, to be presented to,

Admiral George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney of Rodney Stoke (1717-1790), then by descent.

Sotheby's, 9 November 1995, lot 77.



Special notice

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
06.07.2023
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