A rare set of five graduated Motto Skillets from the Somerset (Montacute) foundry of the Fathers family, all dating from the end of the 17th century and after the foundry had changed to sand casting over the old way of casting in loam.
'C.V.B LOYAL TO HIS MAGISTE' a cryptogram for 'See you be loyal to His Majesty'; King Charles II
Ye*Wages*Of*Sin*Is*Death is taken from Paul's 6th letter to the Romans whilst Praies*God*For*All is from a doxology, (a short hymn of praise).
The most interesting skillet from the set is Pitty*The*Pore*1684 (from the 8th line of Proverbs 28). The production of this was likely in response to the Great Frost of 1683/4. The diarist, John Evelyn records that the Thames was frozen; 'The fowls, fish and birds and all our exotic plants and greens, universally perishing. Many parks of deer were destroyed' and '....there were great contributions to preserve the poor alive.'
The smallest of this set bears the line Love*Thy*Neigbour, taken from the 22nd chapter of Saint Matthew's gospel.
In April 2013 Bonhams sold a single skillet, the handle cast with the motto PITTY*THE*PORE*1684 for £5625.00.
Dimensions: largest to smallest
dia:7 7/8 in x long 18 in
dia:7 in x long 16.75 in
dia:6.5 in x long 15.75 in
dia:6 in x long 14 3/8 in
dia:5.5 in x long 13.5 in
Item Code: 4891
£ 14500
Enquire about this item