Lord Nelson appointed Lieutenant Richard Spencer in 1803 to command a captured French schooner, “Le Renard,” with the responsibility of protecting Malta’s commerce. Richard was based in the Mediterranean for regular periods of time over the next 14 years.
While stationed in Malta Lieut. Spencer assisted in securing the release of thirty men, two women and their servants, who had been prisoners in Algeria for 15 years. As a sign of appreciation, the citizens of Malta gave him “silver plate worth one hundred guineas” and later the merchants of Malta rewarded Spencer with an additional piece of silver worth 40 guineas for protecting their trade. The only known piece of silver plate that survives is a teapot donated to the National Trust by a family descendent almost twenty years ago.
The teapot came into the National Trust’s collection almost twenty years ago. Despite being treasured and cared for by family descendants after a period of over 200 years this significant artefact needed specialist attention.
Claire Rowson, Senior Conservation Manager at International Conservation Services (ICS) examined the teapot in detail and prepared a treatment plan.
Once she started work Claire found the handle had undergone an earlier repair with a material containing lead which complicated the whole process. Over many hours Claire carefully removed the lead and remodelled broken sections of the handle, finally securing it with small silver pins. She then cleaned and waxed the silver, taking care not to remove the patina of centuries.
International Conservation Services are Official Conservators to the National Trust of Western Australia and generously support us with an annual gift-in-kind. Through the generosity of ICS we are able to have this teapot, an artefact of outstanding significance and international interest, conserved to the highest possible standard.
Photograph: Claire Rowson, Senior Conservation Manager, International Conservation Services returning the conserved teapot to Sarah Murphy, Manager Interpretation and Collections, National Trust of Western Australia.
