101
A George III Silver Tankard
Estimate: $800-$1,200
Sold
$650
Timed Auction
Dining at Home
Location
Philadelphia
Description
A George III Silver Tankard
Rebecca Emes and Edward Barnard, London, 1814
with domed and molded lid with cast shell-form thumbpiece, scrolled handle, tapered body with turned and reeded bands, on molded base, the underside later engraved, "William Rudolph Smith/ from Walter George Smith/ September 19th, 1894/ 'He was an old friend of mine, and one to trust.'"
hallmarked for Sterling adjacent to rim
25 ozt 6 dwt
Height 7 inches.
Property from the Buck Family Collection, Philadelphia
This lot is located in Philadelphia.
Provenance
William "Bill" Clifton Buck (1928-2023) was a successful businessman, avid sportsman, and leader within the Philadelphia community. Bill attended Lafayette College, where he majored in Economics, and later joined the family business, Smith Kline and French (later GlaxoSmithKline). Alongside his brothers, he founded and expanded The Drug House and later established TDH, a venture capital firm that invested in major companies such as ESPN and Staples. Bill married Laura Thomas (1931-2024) in 1954, and they enjoyed a vibrant 68-year marriage. Together, they were active philanthropists, supporting numerous organizations and causes in Nantucket, Vero Beach, and Philadelphia, including the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In addition, Bill’s lifelong passion for baseball led him to become a partner in the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981, and he cherished the team's successes, including the 2008 World Series win. “Bucktucket,” their beloved Nantucket residence, offered an impressive backdrop for the couple’s collection of Nantucket art. The furnishings of Bucktucket, a traditional cedar-shake house, and of the couple’s Villanova residence seamlessly blended their varied interests into an inviting and cohesive aesthetic. Bill and Laura loved discovering just the right things to fill their homes, meeting artists and dealers along the way. Their collection is marked by several spectacular pieces, including fine period furniture, maritime painting, scrimshaw, sailor’s valentines, wool-work pictures, ceramics, and folk art, offered within this single-owner sequence.
Quantity
1