Wick Antiques was established by Charles Wallrock in the early 1980s. Having grown up in the Antiques world Charles developed an extensive wealth of knowledge. Starting out as a ‘man with a van’ he quickly gained a good reputation and embarked on a longstanding relationship with Harrods. He was later joined by his wife, Caroline Wallrock. Caroline having completed a Persian degree, went on to study at Christie’s fine art and then joined Sotheby’s specializing in Islamic and Japanese works of art, as well as taking the occasional auction. Together they make a formidable team with extensive knowledge and buy and sell some of the best items on the market.
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The Duke of Northumberland’s Silver Lifeboat by Garrard & Co, 1852
Certified DealerApproved listing361 sales by dealer
Certified DealerApproved item361 sales by dealer
Description
This solid silver inkstand is presented as a model of the Beeching-Peake Sr (self-righting) Lifeboat. It has seven seats, plus flotation and storage lockers fore and aft which, having hinged covers and glass liners, act as inkwells. The covers are incised ‘Presented by the Duke of Northumberland to Isaac Watts Esq. assistant surveyor of the Navy’ and ‘For his valuable assistance in establishing Life Boats; 1852’. The hull is pinned to two silver supports which in turn rest on a wooden base. The masts and rudder are replaced, all within a glazed case. English, 1852.
In 1851 Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland was persuaded to become president of the ‘Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck’. At the time the Institution was in dire financial straits. This, and the South Shields lifeboat disaster of 1849, in which 20 of the 24 Tyne’s river pilots were lost, determined the new president to sort things out. The Duke personally offered £100 to be won for the best design and model of a safe lifeboat, with a further £100 to finance her build.
He put together a committee led by Baldwin W Walker, Surveyor of the Navy, with Isaac Watts, Assistant Surveyor, John Fincham, Master Shipwright of Hm Dockyard Portsmouth and James Peake, Assistant-Master Shipwright of Hm Dockyard Woolwich, Captain John Washington and Commander Arthur Jerningham. They had to make a selection from over 280 designs, several from outside the UK. They rated safety features on a points system in which ‘great designs for fenders, lifelines,’ etc earned 1 point, while 20 points went to ‘qualities as a rowing boat in all weathers’. The winning design with 84 points was submitted by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth. This design, with a few improvements by James Peake, became the Rnli’s standard lifeboat for over 40 years.
measurements
8.5:
Cae Height in
16.5:
Case Width in
7.5:
Case Depth in
Model length: 13½ inches (34.5cm) Case height: 8½ inches (22cm) Width: 16½ inches (42cm) Depth: 7½ inches (19cm)
measurements
declaration
Wick Antiques Ltd has clarified that the The Duke of Northumberland’s Silver Lifeboat by Garrard & Co, 1852 (LA497260) is genuinely of the period declared with the date/period of manufacture being 1852