Very Rare Beilby Enamelled Armorial Wine Glass 1765-70

Description

Heading : Very rare Beilby enamelled armorial wine glass
Period : George III – c1765-70
Origin : England
Colour : Clear
Bowl : Round funnel – painted yellow rococo scrollwork cartouche with red detailing enclosing the Coat of Arms of Thomas impaling Clayton. The reverse with fruiting vine enemlling.
Stem : Pair of spiral threads outiwth corkscrew gauze.
Foot : Conical
Pontil : Snapped
Glass Type : Lead
Size :  15.2cm height. 5.3cm diameter bowl. 6.8cm diameter foot
Condition : Excellent. no chips or cracks – some sooty particles on the right vine leaf. small loss to the enammel in the spray either side of the armorial and in the upper left quadrant above the birds and in the lower left quadrant particularly beneath the bird.
Restoration : Light polishing to the underside of the foot.
Weight: 124 grams

References : Purchased at Bonhams 15th November 2023 Lot 43. Ex-Durrington Collection.

www.bonhams.com/auction/27667/lot/144/a-very-rare-beilby-enamelled-armorial-wine-glass-circa-1765-70/

The coat of arms is that of the Reverend John Thomas (1712-1793) who was Bishop of Rochester from 1774. Born in Cumbria to a Vicar (also named John Thomas) he was educated at Carlisle School and The Queen’s College Oxford before embarking on a career as a private tutor to the Brother of his first wife Anne Blackwell. Anne was a widow and belonged to the Clayton family hence the presence of the Clayton coat of Arms.

He was appointed chaplain in ordinary to George II in 1749. a position he would hold until 1762 when he was appointed sum-almoner to the Archbishop of York. then was instituted to the vicarage of St Bride’s Fleet Street before becoming Dean of Westminster. Following this he was consecrated as Bishop of Rochester which was as high as he was able to climb within the Church of England.

While Bishop of Rochester he rebuilt the Bishop’s palace at Bromley. Who said a career in the Church was not lucrative?

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