Object Description
The large and absolutely magnificent armorial George III cast and pierced bordered salver was made in London by Messrs Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp (listed as important makers who made some of the finest silver of the period) and measures 15.25 inches in dia by 2 inches tall. It has a large coat of arms to the centre with a bird crest above which is repeated in the wonderful cast pierced and engraved border along with masks, grapes, vine leaves and scrolls, the birds heads rising from the surface of the salver. It stands on 4 cast, pierced and engraved feet and is fully and clearly hallmarked to the back and also in the border to the front. A magnificent looking eye catching salver by excellent makers in excellent condition weighing 58.9 ounces or 1840 grams.
The Arms of the Family of Hyde
The armorial bearings as engraved upon this George III English Sterling Silver Footed Salver by Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp hallmarked London 1769 are those of the family of Hyde. They may be blazoned as follows:
Arms: Quarterly 1st and 4th Azure a chevron between three lozenges or at fess point a crescent (……?) (for Hyde) 2nd and 3rd Argent two bars and in chief three cinquefoils gules (possibly for Denton)
Crest: A raven (or crow) rising (sable?)1
The arms of the family of Hyde were recorded along with a seven-generation pedigree in the Herald’s Visitation of the County Palatine of Lancaster in 1567.2 Although owing to a dearth of genealogical information we cannot at present pinpoint the identity of the gentleman of the Hyde family who had this salver in his possession, he was undoubtedly a member of the Hydes, of Ormston in the County of Lancashire
The engraver appears to have engraved an eagle rather than a raven (or crow). This visitation was undertaken by William Flower, Norroy King of Arms who in turn were descended from the Hydes, of Norbury in the County of Cheshire. One of his earliest ancestors would have been Raff (or Ralph) Hyde (born circa 1300 died circa 1372), of Ormston who was the second son of Thomas Hyde, of Norbury.
Through a collateral branch of the Norbury/Ormston line, the Hydes, the Earls of Clarendon descended.