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An important sterling silver entree dish, with early New South…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
24-Nov-2019
Lot No.
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Description:
An important sterling silver entree dish, with early New South Wales connections: the dish and cover engraved for presentation to John Hubert Plunkett the dish bearing the inscription 'Presented To John Hubert Plunkett, Esq., M.C. Attorney General, By The People Of New South Wales, as a token of respect For his Public Character and esteem for his Private Worth, Sydney, March A.D. 1841'; the lid engraved with the Plunkett coat of arms. London Assay marks, circa 1814; 29 cm across, 1750 grams. Plunkett (1802-69) arrived in Sydney from Ireland in 1832 to take up the position of Solicitor General in New South Wales. He was elevated to the position of Attorney General in 1836. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, 'He exercised important influence on general legislation, and we believe that every measure tending to equalise the social conditions and promote civil and religious liberty amidst the various, and often hostile, elements of this Colony has either been framed or supported by him'. After the Myall Creek massacre in June 1838 he extended the same protection, with the same ostentation, to the Aboriginals, when he secured the condemnation to death of six white men and one black man of Afro-Caribbean origin for the murder of a native.' To judge from his later public utterances Plunkett considered the Church Act of 1836 the most important single achievement of his public career. It definitely disestablished the Church of England and established legal equality between Anglicans, Catholics and Presbyterians; its provisions were later extended to Methodists, and Plunkett himself would gladly have included Jews and Independents. Plunkett was the first president of the board set up to administer this Act in 1839. From late 1841 to August 1843 Plunkett had been granted leave to attend to family affairs in Ireland. It is clearly on the occasion of his departure that this superb covered dish was presented to him. On his return in 1844 he resumed duty as attorney-general, and was one of the twelve official nominees in the newly constituted council.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Silver: Bowls, Comports and Dishes