Important Silversmiths – Edward Farrell
19th Century Georgian silver tea caddy, of shaped oblong form, exceptionally decorative Rococo foliate scroll incorporating masks, scroll cartouches engraved with crests and armorial, for TRAFFORD and ASHFORD families, pull-off lid surmounted by a squirrel.
Hallmarked English Silver (925), London, year 1817 (b), Maker's mark E.F for Edward Farrell.
Edward Farrell’s apprenticeship and early life is almost completely unrecorded. Although described in Holden's Triennial Directory of 1805-7 as a silversmith, we don’t have any information about his work until 1813, when he registered his first mark. The most productive phase of his career began when he associated with Kensington Lewis, a silversmith and retailer who counted the Duke of York among his prestigious clients.
Their collaboration lasted from about 1816, until the mid 1830’s and during this period Farrell was commissioned large and remarkable sculptural pieces. His flourishing imagination was influenced by 17th Century Flemish and German paintings. His tea services are often embossed with tavern and popular scenes inspired by Teniers the Younger’s genre paintings. Farrell also experimented unusual designs after the Renaissance and Baroque, as well as in the most popular Rococo revival.
19th Century pair of Georgian silver cast candlesticks, each on a shaped circular base cast with scrolls, flowers and waterfalls in very high relief, the conforming knopped baluster stem also embellished with flowers and scrolls, detachable nozzles also embellished with leaves and flowers. Each base engraved with a family crest. Hallmarked English silver (925 standard), London, year 1815 (U), Maker's mark EF for Edward Farrell
Reference Number: A2888
19th Century Georgian silver Teniers style muffin or cheese dish and cover, the domed cover profusely chased and applied with rustic scenes of peasants merry-making, in the style of the Dutch painter David Teniers, the finial modelled as a man with clay pipe seated against a barrel, the large dish chased with cottages in a landscape, cast flowers and scrolls border.
Hallmarked English silver (925), London, year 1818 (c), Maker's mark "EF" for Edward Farrell.
After the death of the Duke of York, in 1827, he continued working in a smaller scale.
The remarkable silver gilt candelabrum displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum and featuring Neptune riding a seahorse is a significant example of Farrell’s creativity and skills. It was part of a large scale garniture ordered by the Duke of York probably around 1819.