Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 1.djvu/71

 11 S. 1. JAN. 22, 1910.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

that every lot contained something difficult to obtain to-day. Here are three lots selected at random, which probably included items now unknown :

" Lot 13. Eight relative to Highgate, including 3 of the Ladies' Charity School, the largest one very scarce. 1Z. Is., Graves."

" Lot 19. Fourteen prints of Kenwood. 12s. 6d.

" Lot 20. Fourteen prints and drawings from Kentish Town to Newington Butts, including a Ground Plot of Kilburn Abbey. 17. Is."

This ground plot is not cited in Park's ' Hampstead.'

But, after all, the importance of this and other predecessors of the Gardner Collection cannot seriously affect its intrinsic worth. The greater demand for such prints has brought much rubbish into collectors' port- folios, and really good items are rapidly advancing to prohibitive* prices. That the efforts to secure the collection for some public institution failed is to be regretted, but I understand the price asked was not considered justified. So it has been cata- logued, and, unless the unforseen happens, will be dispersed at Messrs. Sotheby's. Even those who will not be able to compete for some of the choicer items can be grateful for their dispersal ; for here is a huge collec- tion of illustrations of London, a complete knowledge of which was confined to its proprietor. That he readily gave permis- sion to consult this rich store deserves general recognition, and many of the pro- ducers of books on London published in the last thirty years were greatly indebted to this collection for their illustrations.

It is to be hoped that the catalogue will be a worthy memorial of a great collector. ALECK ABBAHAMS.

GEORGE IV.'S DINNER-TABLE.

THE following account is copied from an imprinted MS. in my possession, having been written by a near relation in 1829. It is endorsed " June 10, 1829, Memoranda of the King's dinner- table ' ? :

Thursday, June 10, 1829.

Memoranda made after seeing the King's dining-

table and banqueting-room, as laid for one

of his grand parties of 100 persons.

The banqueting-room is the upper part of the

square, black brick building in the Kitchen Yard,

St. James's Palace ; it is lit by five windows looking

to the Kitchen Yard, the bottom parts of which

windows are many feet above the eye. The room

is panelled, fawn colour, and much gilding, no

pictures, no curtains.

Down the centre of the room was a table for 50 persons, a side table on each side of the room for 25 persons each, total 100 persons.

The table-cloth seemed of British manufacture, as it had the Prince's feathers wove in it, and upon this cloth was a smaller one, reaching to the edge of the table, for removal after the courses.

The plates were placed ; they were of French china, white with green edge, and flowers stood in the centre. The side tables nearly all white plates with gilding, also French china. His Majesty uses nothing else. On one side of each plate was a silver fork, on the other a silver- handled steel knife and dessert spoon of silver, all of the pattern called the King's pattern, without any crest engraved ; and immediately beyond the top of every other plate was a silver tablespoon, for dinner serving.

A large golden salt-cellar, with glass inside, was between every second plate.

The bread (common French rolls) was in the ba-ker's basket behind the door leading to the kitchen. I cannot say whether this was intended to be placed in napkins on each person's plate. I saw no napkins, and the dinner-table was com- pletely laid.

To every person was one wineglass, to every alternate person a rummer ; both glasses of common description, not unlike my own, but not quite so good : those for the side tables were not even cut glass.

His Majesty sits in the centre of one side of the large table : there is no raised part or platform, as was invariably used by the late King.

On the side tables were some smaller knives, forks, and spoons, for the dessert, of gold, or gilt/

The centre of the great table was filled by 10 candelabras and nine plateaus containing ornaments. The candelabras were of French design and silver-gilt, each holding 5 candles, so that the centre table had 50 lights upon it.

The ornaments were of silver-gilt and French biscuit alternately. Thus the first ornament was a rock, with Neptune upon it, his trident, sea ornaments, and the like, or some such allegorical figure. The next plateau bad a biscuit figure in the centre, and a smaller one at each corner of the plateau ; and thns the whole nine plateaus were holding alternately gilt or biscuit figures, and between each plateau was the candelabra of lights.

The side tables were not so handsomely deco- rated. The fireplace was filled with shrubs. At the side table only one side was occupied by company, and they faced the wall.

There wera no wineglass coolers upon the table.

The end of the room opposite to where the company entered was covered with crimson silk in folds, reaching from the ceiling to a sideboard occupying the entire side of the room, excepting where a door opened leading to the kitchen, which was at no great distance.

The sideboard was covered with a white cloth, and folds of white drapery reached from the side- board to the ground. On this sideboard, and on five small shelves above it, reaching nearly to the ceiling, was placed his Majesty's golden plate, con- sisting principally of large waiters or salvers, tankards, and old-fashioned cups. Each row had about 11 salvers or tankards ; there were 6 rows of these ornaments, and as some vacancies