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The First Georgians: Art and Monarchy 1714-1760: The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace
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Dining at Court

Master: The Neptune centrepiece Item: The Neptune Centrepiece

Master: The Neptune centrepiece Item: The Neptune Centrepiece ©

The royal family were expected to eat in public at least once a week, and historic menus reveal that they ate a mixture of English, French and German dishes. These were traditionally served on silver or silver gilt, although a few porcelain pieces were starting to appear. The works shown here were mainly supplied to Frederick, Prince of Wales, including the spectacular centrepiece with its associated sauceboats and salts, which show the most advanced rococo style of the day.

Attributed to Nicholas Sprimont (1713-1771)

The Neptune centrepiece
Despite Voltaire’s rather acerbic comment that England had forty-two religions but only two sauces, the royal bills of fare for this period reveal a more varied picture. Gravy was certainly made every day – the quantities of beef, mutton and v
Four sauceboats, stands and ladles
A pair of silver-gilt salt cellars, each cast in the form of a crayfish crawling over a stylised clam shell, on a rocky base with shells, coral and sea-foam. These salts, and an accompanying pair mounted with crabs, form part of the Marine Service, create
Pair of salts and salt spoons
A pair of silver-gilt salt cellars, each cast as a crab with a large conch shell between its claws; the irregularly shaped base is applied with cast shells and sea foam, supported on three feet cast with coral, shells and sea foam.The Prince of Wales&rsqu
Pair of salts and salt spoons

Thomas Farren (active 1707-1742)

Pair of casters

George Wickes (1698-1761)

Pair of circular dishes

Edward Wakelin (active before 1748, d.1784)

Strawberry dish

Attributed to George Wickes (1698-1761)

Candlestick

George Wickes (1698-1761)

Dinner plate
A set of silver gilt dessert knives, pistol handles with shell butts and scimitar blades engraved with Garter, motto and crown of King George II. Sets of knives, forks and spoons were supplied by the dozen to the Jewel Office almost every year between
Dessert knives, forks and spoons
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