SS Great Britain | Details | Tableware presented to Isambard Kingdom Brunel

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Actions Displays	Tableware presented to Isambard Kingdom Brunel Remove from selection Add to selection Object number2013.01009 TitleTableware presented to Isambard Kingdom Brunel Creator Benjamin Smith (creator)‎ DescriptionA collection of silverware consisting of three silver-gilt dessert stands, two silver-gilt sideboard dishes, and a set of six silver-gilt salt-cellars and six silver-gilt spoons. This set was presented to Isambard Kingdom Brunel at the Albion Tavern on 17 January 1845 by the Great Western Railway Company and numerous subscribers. The evening's celebrations and the magnificent silver-gilt testimonial were described in detail in 'The Morning Post', on 23 January 1845, p.7: 'On Friday last a sumptuous entertainment took place at the Albion Tavern, on the occasion of presenting to Mr. Brunel, the engineer to the Great Western, Bristol, and Exeter, Bristol and Gloucester Railway, and other great public works, a testimonial of the high appreciation of his services. The testimonial is of very beautiful workmanship, and consists of a centre-piece and four accompanying ornamental dishes for fruit and flowers, with six saltcellars, all of silver-gilt, in the style of Louis XIV. The value of the testimonial is upwards of 2,000 guineas, and the subscriptioons were limited to the sum of ten guineas from each subscriber. The centre-piece consists of a magnificent candelabrum, surmounted by a beautifully designed group of figures representing on the base of the plinth rising from the pediment between brackets, Science, Genuis and Invention aiding Commerce, whilst around the base are groups representing the four Seasons. Elaborately wrought scrolls spring from the curved sides, supporting the candelabra for containing twelve lights. The costly and chastely-designed ornament, which was executed by Mr. B. Smith of Duke Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, measures thirty-four inches square and the weight of it is about 1,500 ounces. The flower and fruit dishes are of triangular form, each being twelve inches in height, and fourteen inches in diameter. They have very rich scrolls, with groups of figures round the pillars, supporting baskets, exquisitely designed, and weigh together 750 ounces. The six saltcellars are of a massive and highly-wrought character, circular in form, with very rich feet, composed of figures riding on dolphins, the weight being about 100 ounces.' The testimonial stayed in the family following Brunel's death in 1859, however the main centrepiece was melted sometime before 1868 to help pay for the cost of the memorial window to Brunel which was raised in Westminster Abbey in his memory. The items are accessioned individually. Production date 1844 - 1845 Object categorysilverware Credit lineClive Richards Brunel Collection – By Courtesy of the Trustees of the ss Great Britain Trust and the Brunel Institute.

Object number2013.01009

TitleTableware presented to Isambard Kingdom Brunel

DescriptionA collection of silverware consisting of three silver-gilt dessert stands, two silver-gilt sideboard dishes, and a set of six silver-gilt salt-cellars and six silver-gilt spoons. This set was presented to Isambard Kingdom Brunel at the Albion Tavern on 17 January 1845 by the Great Western Railway Company and numerous subscribers. The evening's celebrations and the magnificent silver-gilt testimonial were described in detail in 'The Morning Post', on 23 January 1845, p.7: 'On Friday last a sumptuous entertainment took place at the Albion Tavern, on the occasion of presenting to Mr. Brunel, the engineer to the Great Western, Bristol, and Exeter, Bristol and Gloucester Railway, and other great public works, a testimonial of the high appreciation of his services. The testimonial is of very beautiful workmanship, and consists of a centre-piece and four accompanying ornamental dishes for fruit and flowers, with six saltcellars, all of silver-gilt, in the style of Louis XIV. The value of the testimonial is upwards of 2,000 guineas, and the subscriptioons were limited to the sum of ten guineas from each subscriber. The centre-piece consists of a magnificent candelabrum, surmounted by a beautifully designed group of figures representing on the base of the plinth rising from the pediment between brackets, Science, Genuis and Invention aiding Commerce, whilst around the base are groups representing the four Seasons. Elaborately wrought scrolls spring from the curved sides, supporting the candelabra for containing twelve lights. The costly and chastely-designed ornament, which was executed by Mr. B. Smith of Duke Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, measures thirty-four inches square and the weight of it is about 1,500 ounces. The flower and fruit dishes are of triangular form, each being twelve inches in height, and fourteen inches in diameter. They have very rich scrolls, with groups of figures round the pillars, supporting baskets, exquisitely designed, and weigh together 750 ounces. The six saltcellars are of a massive and highly-wrought character, circular in form, with very rich feet, composed of figures riding on dolphins, the weight being about 100 ounces.' The testimonial stayed in the family following Brunel's death in 1859, however the main centrepiece was melted sometime before 1868 to help pay for the cost of the memorial window to Brunel which was raised in Westminster Abbey in his memory. The items are accessioned individually.

Production date 1844 - 1845

Object categorysilverware

Credit lineClive Richards Brunel Collection – By Courtesy of the Trustees of the ss Great Britain Trust and the Brunel Institute.

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