Silver Collection

Like many owners of plate, the Drapers’ Company had to melt down its silver at intervals during the 16th and 17th centuries whenever the Crown was short of money and demanded payments. Of the few early pieces to survive, our most treasured is a silver-gilt cup and cover presented by William Lambarde in 1578 and made by Affabel Partridge, a goldsmith to Elizabeth I. Around the rim of the cup is the inscription ‘A proctour of the poore am I, remember theim before thou dye’ which still sums up the philanthropic purpose of the Company today. By tradition the cup is placed on the table whenever the Master dines in the Hall, to remind him of this duty, though today a beautiful copy made by William Haynes in 2001 is used instead.

Much of our silver – rosewater dishes, candelabra, loving cups and maces, serves a function at dinners and ceremonial occasions. However, there are a few purely decorative items including a beautiful lunula, a Celtic decorative collar of fine gold, dated 2000 – 1500 BC, found on the Company’s Irish estate in the early 19th century.

We also have the ornate badge of the Company’s Bargemaster from 1671 and a modern-day badge made by Grant Macdonald in 2018, worn by the today’s Bargemaster at formal events in the Hall.  The “Master’s Jewel” was presented in 1882 and is regularly worn by the Master when formally representing the Company. A travel badge was made by Grant Macdonald in 2013 for use by the Master when out of the Hall.

Our modern silver includes Anita Lafford’s copy of her statue of Her Majesty The Queen, purchased in 1992, the original of which was commissioned to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne.  We commissioned Michael Lloyd to create a candelabrum to celebrate Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee and he was previously commissioned in 1995 to make three exquisitely chased rosewater dishes at the bequest of Liveryman Kevin Wing.

Access to the collection for research is granted at the discretion of the Company.