The Monteith Bowl

By: Bill Kime

Waddington’s is pleased to offer “The Hopetoun Monteith,” an important early George II Scottish Silver Monteith Bowl of 1727, in our Fall 2024 Decorative Arts & Design auction.

FASHION INFORMS FUNCTION: THE FANTASTICAL MONTEITH

“Monteith” bowls were introduced in the late 17th century in England and Scotland, the name purportedly deriving from reference to a “Monsieur Monteigh” of Scotland described by diarist Anthony Wood in 1683, as a gentleman who “wore the bottoms of his cloake or coate so notched UUUU”, which led to the design of the notched rim bowl. A true or fantastical story, the design was certainly innovative and addressed the new need for cooling wine glasses. The notches in the rim of the bowl prevented the glasses from moving or breaking while in the vessel – a glass would be hung on the notch and rested against ice or in cold water, the drinker then taking the foot of the glass by the finger and thumb, so as to not transfer the warmth of the hand to the bowl, keeping the glass cold as long as possible.

The rising popularity of such bowls during the 18th century used as glass coolers were due to the fact that heavily spiced food was consumed in England at the time, as spices arrived from the East. As such, a cooling drink was necessary to combat the spiciness of such meals and the drinks included wine or at the time, a new trendy ‘punch’ which would require a cooled glass to be prepared for maximum effect and experience.

Writer Samuel Johnson refers to the vessel for “washing” glasses, though the purpose of the bowl likely changed over time and grew in its uses. New forms of the bowl emerged with a detachable rim, allowing use also as a serving piece. Suffice to say that the Monteith bowl became an important part of the table setting at many landed houses of the 18th century, with versions in Chinese Export porcelain, as well as glass and silver examples.

Lot 34: The Hopetoun Monteith, Important George II Scottish Silver Monteith Bowl,
Harry Beathune, Edinburgh, 1727
Estimate 150,000-180,000

The imposing bowl offered in our current auction bears the arms of the Hope family impaling those of the Johnstone family, for Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun (1681-1742) and his wife Henrietta Johnstone, daughter of William, 1st Marquess of Annandale, with the motto AT SPES INFRACTA, meaning “But hope is undaunted.” Charles Hope was granted a peerage by Queen Anne when he came of age at 22, on April 15, 1703. Hope was said to have been granted the rank of earl as repayment for his father John’s sacrifice during the wreck of the HMS Gloucester in 1682. When the warship ran aground off the coast of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, John gave up his seat on one of the lifeboats to James, Duke of York, the brother of Charles II and future King of England, but perished in the shipwreck himself.

Though little is known of the silversmith Harry Beathune of Edinburgh, the skill of the master is evidenced in the bowl’s remarkably sturdy construction. Raised from a single sheet and chased with flutes adding strength to the bowl, the shaped rim is girdled and applied with acanthus scroll moulding. The sides are finely engraved with armorial bearings on two oval reserves between ring and knop-drop handles pendant from lion masks, and raised on a stepped circular foot.

About the Auction

Our Fall 2024 Decorative Arts & Design auction is online until November 7, 2024.

The auction highlights fine examples of 18th century Scottish and English silver from the William B.G. Humphries Collection, including the highly important George II ‘Hopetoun Monteith’ of 1727. Exceptional ceramics and glass include a decanter by Gio Ponti for Venini, works by Paulo Venini, Dino Rosin and Harvey Littleton, good collections of Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones, and Moorcroft pottery, and modern glass from the Janak Khendry Collection.

Previews

Previews are available at our Toronto gallery, located at 100 Broadview Avenue, just south of Queen Street East:

Sunday, November 3 from 12 noon to 4 pm
Monday, November 4 from 10 am to 5 pm
Tuesday, November 5 from 10 am to 5 pm
Or by appointment.

Contact us for more information at [email protected]


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