A rare collection of historic Jacobite “traitor” glasses, worth tens of thousands of pounds and set to attract worldwide bids, is to be sold at Hawleys Antiques and Fine Art Auction at Beverley Racecourse at the end of May.
Supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie raised the glasses to toast him, even though it was deemed an act of treason after the Battle of Culloden in April 1746 and punishable by death.
They defied suppression by slyly using wine glasses bearing secret codes and messages of loyalty to the Stuart cause, but understood only by those in the know. As such the glasses are an historic reminder of a pivotal moment in Scottish history, one which would also change the course of British, European and world history.
Now six of these “exceptional” Jacobite glasses are to be sold in single lots by Hawleys Auctioneers on Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1, with a preview day on Friday May 30.
Auctioneer Caroline Hawley said: “They are treason glasses and the six in our auction are exceptional examples. They all relate to the Jacobite rising and were used by supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Stuart monarchy. That’s what makes them so valuable and so collectable.
There will be global interest in them, from museums, collectors and historians across the world, because they are so rare and they tell a story of one of the most turbulent and significant times in our history.”
The Jacobite rising began after the overthrow of Catholic King James 11 of England (James V11 of Scotland) by Protestant William of Orange in 1688. The Jacobites launched a series of rebellions to restore the exiled Stuart dynasty, specifically James 11, his son James, ‘The Old Pretender’ and grandson Charles – Bonnie Prince Charlie, ‘The Young Pretender’.
This culminated in the last pitched battle on British soil – Culloden, the final and bloodiest battle of the Jacobite Rising. In less than an hour, around 1,600 men were slain, 1,500 of them Jacobites. Their leader Bonnie Prince Charlie fled to France, never returning to Britain.
The aftermath of the battle saw brutal suppression, with many Jacobites hunted down and killed. Support for the Stuart cause was effectively crushed.
However, in secret gatherings Jacobites pledged allegiance by using ornate glasses hand engraved with Jacobite symbols such as: roses representing Bonnie Prince Charlie, oak leaves for the House of Stuart, and birds in flight representing the Stuart family’s return. Some carry Latin mottoes such as Redeat (May he return) and Revirescit (Let it grow again).
The fierce clampdown on Jacobite activities after Culloden has led to the belief that most Jacobite glasses were made and engraved in England, commissioned by individuals, families or by the secret clubs themselves.
The six glasses in the auction were originally owned by Scottish Jacobite authority Dr Geoffrey Seddon, author of The Jacobites and their Drinking Glasses, and which he sold at auction 17 years ago to a private collector.
Other lots of special interest in the auction include:
· Four oil paintings by the East Riding artist Frederick William Elwell RA (1870-1958)
· Two German and Prussian military helmets – a Prussian Officer’s Garde du Corps helmet worn by the personal guard of the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, made by C E Junker, estimate £4-5000; German / Prussian World War I Jäger zu Pferde other ranks helmet by Helbing u Sagkewitz, estimate £7-800.
· A stunning collection of several hundred powder compacts including vintage Volupte, Kigu, Lalique and art deco. Many are in astonishing shapes, such as hands, flying saucers, hats, and globes.
Hawleys Antiques and Fine Art Auction, 10am start at Beverley Racecourse Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1; Preview Friday May 30. For more information and to download or view an auction catalogue go to Hawleys.info
