Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 18 7 Jun 2018
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Masonic Jewels, The Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Bucks, a highly important Georgian solid oval silver Jewel, by Hester Bateman, the Grand Master, in hat and robe, stands before his throne with arch behind, two attendants to left, another right, legend on border around, UNANIMITY . IS . THE . STRENGTH . OF . SOCIETY, maker's mark HB (Hester Bateman's first mark of 1761-1771) and lion, wt. 38.72gms., 71 x 65mm., the maker's mark slightly mis-struck, good very fine with light tone and exceedingly rare
Perhaps a Grand Master's Jewel. Unusually for Hester Bateman, the Jewel has been made by casting. However the single Jewel by Bateman in the collection of the United Grand Lodge of England, has a cast centre – a radiant sun. It is probable that it was the centrepiece of a larger jewel and would have been surrounded with a scrolled border with a loop for suspension and even possibly glazed. The Museum also possesses an exceedingly rare Chelsea enamel snuff box of the same period with the same image and motto on its lid. The image appears again in a dinner invitation of the Babylonian Lodge dated 1750. The cataloguers can find no further examples.
The Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Bucks was established in London c. 1723 as a society to promote the 'innocent mirth of good fellowship', and went on to flourish between the 1770s and the 1820s
. Hester Bateman (1708–1794), the much-praised silversmith, is recorded as making a small number of Masonic jewels.
(800-1200 GBP)
Perhaps a Grand Master's Jewel. Unusually for Hester Bateman, the Jewel has been made by casting. However the single Jewel by Bateman in the collection of the United Grand Lodge of England, has a cast centre – a radiant sun. It is probable that it was the centrepiece of a larger jewel and would have been surrounded with a scrolled border with a loop for suspension and even possibly glazed. The Museum also possesses an exceedingly rare Chelsea enamel snuff box of the same period with the same image and motto on its lid. The image appears again in a dinner invitation of the Babylonian Lodge dated 1750. The cataloguers can find no further examples.
The Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Bucks was established in London c. 1723 as a society to promote the 'innocent mirth of good fellowship', and went on to flourish between the 1770s and the 1820s
. Hester Bateman (1708–1794), the much-praised silversmith, is recorded as making a small number of Masonic jewels.
(800-1200 GBP)