Lot 5
Victorian Silver Mounted Rhinoceros Horn Desk Lamp, John Bodman Carrington, London, 1896
Lot 5 Details
Victorian Silver Mounted Rhinoceros Horn Desk Lamp, John Bodman Carrington, London, 1896
with adjustable twin scroll arms supporting baluster fonts with burners and brackets fitted opaque white glass shades, the collar and fonts all chased with matted-ground flowering foliage, shells and scrollwork, the front of the horn applied with a shield shaped cartouche inscribed: "TO / EL MIRALAI MIDDLEMASS BEY / INSPECTOR GENERAL OF COASTGUARD / FROM THE SMUGGLERS OF EGYPT / 1ST MARCH / 1896", all on a naturalistic rocky base
height 22.5" — 57.2 cm.
contains material which may be subject to import/export regulation
Estimate $20,000-$30,000
Additional Images
Note:
Middlemass Bey (1853-1906)
Arthur Charles Middlemass was born 1853 in Haddington, Scotland; died 1906 in Kensington, London. He married Madeline Susy Quentin in Denbighshire, Wales, 1880.
[Egyptian Gazette, 2nd March, 1896] Miralai Middlemass Bey, late Inspector General of the Coastguard Service and Mrs. Middlemass Bey left Sidi Gaber [Alexandria] by the 9 o’clock express yesterday morning for Port Said en route for England. A large number of friends and many officers of the Coastguard Service were in attendance at the station as well as a detachment of the coastguards headed by their band. Amongst those present: Ferik [Vice Admiral] Morice Pasha, Mrs. Morice Pasha, Miss Morice, Harvey Pasha, Mr. and Mrs. Caillard, Peake Bey, Mr. Charles Royle… and his successor. The number of bouquets and baskets of flowers for Mrs. Middlemass were so large that the reserved compartment was almost too small. Middlemass Bey is a retired commander of the Royal Navy, which he entered in 1866. He served in the Ashanti War 1873-74 (Ashanti Medal); was highly commended in despatches and promoted for services up the Congo River against pirates, 1875; was granted a testimonial on vellum by the Royal Humane Society for jumping overboard from HMS Active in the Atlantic on 3 January 1876 and saving the life of a man who had fallen overboard, and he received thanks from the Admiralty; served in the Egyptian Campaign 1882 (Egyptian Medal and Khedive’s Bronze Star); was employed in the Transport Service in Egypt, and in May 1884 was appointed Inspector General of the Coastguards; served at Suakin in 1888, mentioned in despatches (Gemaizah Clasp)… On 1st February, 1896 he resigned his job at the Coastguard Service… On leaving the Service Middlemass Bey was presented with a handsome cheque of 3 figures by the officers and NCOs for the purchase of a piece of plate as a token of their “esteem and regard”.
CONDITION DETAILS
Engraved inscription on the applied shield is a little worn; one scroll arm has dents where bent and straightened; brackets for shades are plated brass (some showing through); otherwise substantially in good condition; well marked on the collar, sockets, fonts and on the edge of the base