Paul Storr Wine Cooler, 1813

This is a magnificent piece of Paul Storr Regency period silver. It weighs a massive 98 tr.oz. and was intended as a dual function piece: as a wine cooler holding 2 bottles or as an impressive, decorative covered cup for standing on a sideboard or similar.

The main body of the cup is campana shaped with fluted lower half and a chased frieze of palmette decoration. The two handles have acanthus leaf grips and the cover has a gadroon border, acanthus leaf decoration and is topped by a ribbon and laurel wreath handle. It just oozes high quality and is in superb original condition.

This wine cooler bears a good, clear set of hallmarks for the greatest English silversmith of the 19th century. The cover and top handle are appropriately part marked. This is  a classic piece of high quality Paul Storr silver.

The body of  this George III period wine cooler is engraved with a coat of arms that are a variant of those of the Bligh family. They may be blazoned as follows:  Azure (blue) a griffin segreant between three crescents argent (silver). The cover is engraved with a crest: A griffin’s head couped argent (silver) . The family of Bligh are said to be of ancient West Country descent with Cornish and Devonian antecedents. The Earl of Darnley is from Bligh stock and at the time of this cup John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley (1767-1831) was incumbent. He succeeded his father in 1781 and resided at Cobham Hall near Rochester in Kent. John Bligh was a noted cricketer and his descendent Ivo Francis Walter Bligh, 8th Earl Darnley was captain of England in 1882/3. John Bligh was succeeded by his eldest surviving son Edward, MP for Canterbury in 1831. The most famous member of the family is Vice Admiral William Bligh, of ‘Bounty’ fame. More about John Bligh, including the colours of the Arms, can be found on Wikipedia at this link:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bligh,_4th_Earl_of_Darnley