A set of four George III Scottish cast silver candlesticks Lothian & Robertson, Edinburgh 1760 (4)

A set of four George III Scottish cast silver candlesticks Lothian & Robertson, Edinburgh 1760 Gadrooning to the circular nozzles with removable unmarked drip pans, the tapering faceted stem with upper square knop and lower circular knop on broad square bases with sunken well, bases and drip pans with engraved crest and motto a stag proper, attired argent, lodged before a holly bush proper (Maxwell), height 26cm, weight 87oz. (4) Footnotes: This is the crest associated with the arms of the MAXWELL family who were Earls of Nithsdale. Remarkably William MAXWELL (1676-1744) 5th Earl of Nithsdale and 9th Lord Herries of Terregles in 1699 had married Winnifred HERBERT (1680-1749) daughter of William HERBERT 1st Marquis of Powis. The 5th Earl was a Jacobite supporter who took part in the 1715 uprising. He was attainted in 1716, his peerages forfeited and sentenced to death. However, he managed to make a celebrated escape from the Tower of London by changing clothes with his wife's maid the day before his execution. He lived the remainder of his life on the continent as part of the retinue of the Old Pretender. His only son was William MAXWELL (1720-1776) of Nithsdale who may have been a pretender to his father's title, is likely to have continued to use his crest and possibly his arms. This William MAXWELL married Catherine STEWART (born 1730). It is he who is most likely to have used the crest on this item. Other later descendants also continued to use this crest had in 1848 had the title of Lord Herries of Terregles restored. William Constable-Maxwell and the descendants of the fifth Earl of Nithsdale were restored by Act of parliament. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing