The Cary Porringer. An important & large James II Porringer made in London in 1685 by Hugh Roberts.
The Cary Porringer. An important & large James II Porringer made in London in 1685 by Hugh Roberts.
375413
This unusually large Porringer is plain in design and stands on an applied, circular, spreading foot which is decorated with reeding. The slightly baluster main body rises to an everted rim of thick gauge. This piece has two cast “S” scroll side handles decorated at the top with beading. The front is finely engraved with a shield shaped Armorial, with Crest above, all surrounded by a pluming scroll cartouche. The Porringer is in excellent condition, with a fine colour and displays good interior hammer marks from when it was raised. The base displays a crisp set of hallmarks. The maker’s mark of HR is attributed by David Mitchell as being possibly that of Hugh Roberts. See “Silversmiths in Elizabethan and Stuart London” , pages 329-330. He was apprenticed to Augustine Dudley in 1672.
The Armorial is that of Cary impaling Wyndham and the Crest is also of Cary for William Cary of Clovelly. William Cary (c. 1661 - 1710) was the younger son of the Rev. George Cary (1611-1680), and was twice Member of Parliament for Okehampton in Devon 1685-1687 and 1689-1695 and also for Launceston in Cornwall 1695-1710. His mural monument survives in Clovelly Church. In 1704 he obtained a private Act of Parliament to allow him to sell entailed lands in Somerset and to re-settle his Devon estates in order to pay debts and provide incomes for his younger children. He was suffering financial difficulties and applied to Robert Harley for a lucrative government post to restore his finances:
"...by 16 or 17 years of war my estate, which mostly lies near the sea, has felt more than ordinary calamities of it, and hath been lessened in its income beyond most of my neighbours living in the inland country, and that a considerable jointure upon it, and four small children and the Act of Parliament procured last session for dismembering it, are motives which concur with my ambition to serve her Majesty".
He married Joan Wyndham (1669-1687), a daughter of Sir William Wyndham, 1st Baronet (c. 1632 - 1683) of Orchard Wyndham, Watchet, Somerset, Member of Parliament for Somerset 1656-1658 and for Taunton 1660-1679. She died aged 18 and was buried in the Wyndham Chapel of St Decuman's Church, Watchet, Somerset.
Silver from the short reign of James II is scarce as it only lasted for four years, 1685-1688, before he went into exile for his Catholic beliefs and his daughter, Mary II, ascended the throne, together with her husband, William of Orange, who would reign as King William III.
Height: 6 inches, 15cm.
Length, handle to handle: 11 inches, 27.5 cm.
Weight: 34 oz.
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 was the younger son of the Rev. George Cary (1611-1680), and was twice Member of Parliament for Okehampton in Devon 1685-1687 and 1689-1695 and also for Launceston in Cornwall 1695-1710. His mural monument survives in Clovelly Church. In 1704 he obtained a private Act of Parliament to allow him to sell entailed lands in Somerset and to re-settle his Devon estates in order to pay debts and provide incomes for his younger children. He was suffering financial difficulties and applied to Robert Harley for a lucrative government post to restore his finances:"...by 16 or 17 years of war my estate, which mostly lies near the sea, has felt more than ordinary calamities of it, and hath been lessened in its income beyond most of my neighbours living in the inland country, and that a considerable jointure upon it, and four small children and the Act of Parliament procured last session for dismembering it, are motives which concur with my ambition to serve her Majesty".He married Joan Wyndham (1669-1687), a daughter of Sir William Wyndham, 1st Baronet (c. 1632 - 1683) of Orchard Wyndham, Watchet, Somerset, Member of Parliament for Somerset 1656-1658 and for Taunton 1660-1679. She died aged 18 and was buried in the Wyndham Chapel of St Decuman's Church, Watchet, Somerset. Silver from the short reign of James II is scarce as it only lasted for four years, 1685-1688, before he went into exile for his Catholic beliefs and his daughter, Mary II, ascended the throne, together with her husband, William of Orange, who would reign as King William III.Height: 6 inches, 15cm.Length, handle to handle: 11 inches, 27.5 cm.Weight: 34 oz. ){kind=link}