Lloyd’s Presentation Silver Salver Given to Lieutenant George Manley Alldridge, Captain of HMS Asp in 1853

A Lloyd’s Presentation Silver Salver Given to Lieutenant George Manley Alldridge, Captain of HMS Asp in 1853 Made by Roberts and Hall of Sheffield, presumably sub- contracted by Sarl and Son of Cornhill and then presented by the Lloyd’s underwriters to Lieutenant G. M. Alldridge in 1854. Of traditional circular form with a cast border of fruiting vines with grapes in high relief, the salver is a typical example of mid-Victorian craftsmanship. What makes it exceptional however, is the virtuosic engraving on the centre of the salver. Framed with a decorative border designed as a long sailor’s rope, a small cartouche at the top containing the recipient’s initials in italic font. Below this first cartouche is a much larger central one, flanked by the Union Jack, anchors with ships in the background. The inner cartouche is flanked by rocaille ornament and dolphins and contains a presentation inscription which reads: ‘Presented to Lieut. G.M. Alldridge Commanding HMS ‘Asp‘ by the underwriters at Lloyd’s for the prompt & efficient services rendered by him to the Steamer “Glendower” whilst on shore near Milford, September 1853’. A further cartouche at the bottom contains an engraved image of the rescued vessel, the Owen Glendower, itself. The piece is hallmarked on the reverse for the well-known manufacturers Roberts and Hall of Sheffield, the hallmarks for 1853/54. The salver was illustrated and described in great detail in the Illustrated London News, 1st of April 1854 pp.289-290. ‘PLATE PRESENTED BY THE UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYD’S This handsome and costly group of plate, consisting of two salvers, three cups and five snuff-boxes, have just been presented by the Underwriters at Lloyd’s, in testimony of the services rendered by the recipients of the several gifts, to the steamer Glendower, whilst on shore near Milford, in September, 1853. First is a large salver, which has been presented to Sir Thomas Pasley, Bart., Pembroke Dockyard, for the kind and prompt manner in which he authorised assistance to be sent to the Glendower. The smaller salver has been presented to Lieut. G. M. Alldridge, Commander of HMS Asp, for the prompt and efficient services rendered by him to the Glendower. The two cups, with covers, have been presented to Mr. G. A. Macfarlane, Second Master of the Asp, and to Mr. D. Hall, for their able co-operation in the above services. And the five snuff- boxes have been given to Messrs. Morgan, Venning, Hill, Kindersely, and Clark, for their kind and prompt attention upon the above occasion. The plate has been designed and manufactured by Messrs. Sarl and Son, Cornhill’. Clearly, as stated above, the order for the plate must have been taken by Sarl and Son of Cornhill who then passed the manufacturing duties to Roberts and Hall in Sheffield, something that could not have been established without this surviving account and image. Provenance: Lieutenant G. M. Alldridge Then by descent Sold at Christie’s on the 17th of November 2004, lot 175 A private US collection