Beschreibung:

A William IV silver candelabrum centrepiece Mark of John Edward Terrey, London, 1831 The shaped triangular plinth on shaped circular base raised on three shell, scroll, floral and foliate bracket feet, the base cast and chased with oak-leaves and acorns, the plinth chased with acanthus borders and applied with fasces , the cylindrical stem cast and chased with acanthus and willow, flanked by three cast female figures representing Justice, Virtue and Truth, the latter bearing a scroll inscribed 'Reform Bill' , the stem with acanthus borders rising to a shaped circular centrepiece bowl with outcurved acanthus rim and chased with roses, shamrocks and thistles, with cut-glass liner, the six detachable floral and foliate scroll branches below each with detachable sockets and drip-pans formed as sunflowers, the plinth engraved with two coats-of-arms and with a presentation inscription, marked on base, bowl, figures, branches, sockets and drip-pans 27in. (69cm.) high without glass bowl 409oz. (12,742gr.) The arms are those of the City of Reading and Monck impaling Stephens, for John Berkeley Monck (d.1834) and his wife Mary, daughter of William Stephens Esq., of Aldermaston, co. Buckingham, whom he married in 1810. John Monck was a barrister and M.P. for Reading. His family originated from Devon and share a common ancestry with the celebrated Royalist the Duke of Albemarle (d.1670). The inscription on the plinth reads, 'PRESENTED TO JOHN BERKELEY MONCK ESQ R ANNO DOMINI 1831, BY HIS TOWNSMEN AND NEIGHBOURS in token of their deep and lasting gratitude, for the talent, the zeal, and the constancy, by which throughout a laborious Parliamentary Course HE SUSTAINED THE CAUSE OF UNIVERSAL FREEDOM IN ITS SEASON OF GREATEST NEED: For the power by which in the sphere of his local influence, He has done justice, advocated truth, and kept alive the spirit of public virtue: AND FOR THE PURE AND NOBLE EXAMPLE which his life as a politician and a man affords TO THEM AND TO THEIR CHILDREN.'