Beschreibung:

(Scottish Silver & Applied Arts, 14th August 2019) A RARE SET OF SIX ORDER OF THE GARTER JACOBITE WINE GLASSES LATE 18TH/ EARLY 19TH CENTURY the tapered bowls with diamond engraved WW creating two panels with badge of The Order of Garter between, raised on short reeded knopped stem and domed foot (6) 9.2cm high Provenance: The Late Michael Buckingham Collection Believed to have been made for the Williams-Wynn family, by descent Note: Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn was amongst the most prominent Jacobites south of the border and certainly the staunchest supporter in Wales. He is credited with setting up the Cycle Club, perhaps the most active and well known of the numerous Jacobite clubs/societies. Founded on 19th June 1710, the anniversary of the Old Pretender's birthday, the club would continue for over 150 years. Termed the Cycle Club as the meetings were held alternately in members houses and had a supposed base at Wynn's home Wynnstay which seems to have been for general and anniversary meetings. The club's rules and regulations are well known and the burden to attend meetings was key, all members having to attend each three-weekly meeting or give written notice as to why. Various glasses are associated with the Club, and it seems likely that members presumably had to supply their own glasses, which would explain the various patterns, styles and engraving noted to those still surviving. As with all clubs these glasses would have been used in the communal toast and songs. The song of the cycle club being sung at each meeting in toast to the Jacobites was: I hope there's no soul, That over his Bowl, But means honest Ends to pursue, With the Voice goes the Heart, And let's never depart, From the Faith of an honest True Blue. True Blue! From faith of the honest True Blue. For Country and Friends, Let us dam private Ends, And keep old British Virtue in View, Despising the Tribe, Who are bought by Bribe, Let's be Honest and ever True Blue True Blue! From faith of the honest True Blue. Here's Health to all those, Who Slavery oppose, And our trade both defend and renew, And to each honest Voice, That concurs in the Choice, And Support of an honest True Blue, True Blue! From faith of the honest True Blue. (this last verse added in 1745) For the Days we've misspent, Let us truly repent, And render to Caesar his due, Here's a Health to the Lad, With his Bonnet and Plaid, For the World cannot stain his True Blue. True Blue! From faith of the honest True Blue. The Cycle club are one of the few societies which can claim an active part in the uprising of the '45. They marched to meet Charles' army in England with men, money and supplies but by the time they reached Derby the Highland army was on retreat. In quick succession, they returned to Wales where the incriminating plans and papers were destroyed, although the club continued. Wynne himself an MP at the time survived the uprising relatively unscathed and indeed kept his seat in the Houses of Parliament. Perhaps no direct evidence could be found, or the Hanoverian retribution was focused more on the highland supporters seen to have betrayed the crown. His luck however ran out while in 1749 he died falling from his horse hunting. The Jacobite sympathies to these glasses is very covert and even the somewhat hidden nature of the WW's is interesting. This presumably shows they were in use at a time when hiding ones sympathies was safer than advertising your belief in the cause. The Order of the Garter star is an emblem associated with some rare Jacobite glasses and it shows the right that the followers felt the Stuarts had to the throne. The Order of the Garter is seen in portrait and the use of chivalry within the cause and the Stuarts' belief in their right to these honours is well recorded.