Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 14. (Budapest, 1994)

ÁCS Piroska: Aranyszelence IV. György angol király udvarából

outstanding work of goldsmith's art. The cast box of a grainy delustred surface is engraved, with a chiselled decoration. Both the cast and the execution of the ornament attest to a masterful hand. By reason of the hallmark with the initials IN and analogous objects, the master can be identified as John Northam. Although there are several boxes known to be by him,

23 data concerning them is rather scare. His name is to be found on the register of London goldsmiths from October 10, 1793 on (his workshop was at 12 St. Martin's Street, Leicester Fields). On May 9, 1796 he moved to the Soho (12 Frith Street); it was then that he had a new hallmark registered for himself.

24 He was an „outworker" for Rundell, Bridge & Rundell Co., purveyors by appointment to His Majesty, as well as for Wakelin & Garrard, who supplied him with new orders and objets d'art to be repaired.

23 The gold box (II) — iconography From among the caskets made by Northam this is the only one with consistent thematic decoration. On one of its short sides we see Poseidon, god of the sea. In his hand he holds his trident with the help of which he can lash the sea into fury, only to soothe it within seconds to drive on its smooth surface in his chariot drawn by golden-maned horses. Among his attendans there are the half man half fish shaped Tritons who blow into their shell horns to announce the orders of their master (111. 8). On the opposite side of the box there is Amphitrite, the wife of Poseidon, in the company of Tritons and Naiades and the three Nereides: Galathea, Nereis and Thetis (III. 9). On the longer, front side of the box, between allegories of War and Peace, the Order of the Garter encircles the initials of King George IV, with the inscriptions „HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE" and „ DIEU ET MON DROIT". The crown-shaped protrusion on the lid is over this middle part of the casket (111. 10.). On the reverse side there appear human and animal figures symbolizing the four continents Europe, Asia, Africa, America (111. 11.). The bottom of the casket is adorned by a coats-of-arms worked in minute detail.

26 (111. 12) Here the Order of the Garter encircles an oval shaped shield of four quarters with a sign of colour. The first and fourth quarters represent the coat-of-arms of England: three pacing lions in a red field. The second one contains thet of Scotland: a crowned, rampant golden lion in a double frame of golden lilies against a hermine covered bakround. The third quarter is occupied by the coat-ofarms of Ireland, a silver harp in a winged woman's shape against a blue backround. In the middle of this larger, quartered shield there is a threefold rosette shield - the coatof-arms of Hannover. In the first field the two pacing golden lions on a red backround stand for Brunswick, while the blue rampant one in a golden field with red hearts for Lüneburg. Finally, in the wedge there is the symbol of Westphalia, the silver-white running horse. In the shield in the middle of the rosette a minute royal crown can be seen.

27 The shield of four quarters is topped by a helmet with a visor adorned by a golden principal crown inlaid with crowned lions. The heraldic figures holding the shield are a rampant, crowned lion with a protruding red tongue on the left and a white unicorn with a collar of precious stones, in the shape of a crown of lilies on the right. A hanging chain from here leads to the impresa. Beneath the shield there is a figure of St. George, the Dragon Killer. All these motifs refer to the monarchiái power of George IV, King of Great Britain, Ireland and Hannover. The gold box (III) - the design Since this box was made on the order of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, and since we do not know any other, similar representation from John Northam, we have to suppose