Circular and with vertically fluted bombe sides, on moulded pedestal foot, with lion's mask drop ring handles, the body with two oval cartouche, one side engraved with a crest, the other with a coat-of-arms, each in baroque cartouche, the detachable rim engraved with a crest, fully marked on body and rim, the handles part marked, engraved beneath the base with cancelled scratchweight 98:18, and number No.1 and further scratchweight 98:15
12¹⁄₈ in. (31 cm.) diameter
95 oz. 3 dwt. (2,960 gr.)
The arms and crest are those of Banks for Joseph Banks (1665-1727), of Revesby Abbey, Lincolnshire, M.P. for Grimsby.

Joseph Banks (1665-1727), of Revesby Abbey, Lincolnshire, M.P. for Grimsby, by descent to his son,
Joseph Banks (1695-1741), of Revesby Abbey, Lincolnshire, M.P. for Peterborough, by descent to his son,
William Banks (1719-1761), of Revesby Abbey, Lincolnshire, M.P. for Gramound, by decent to his son,
Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Bt., G.C.B., F.R.S (1743-1820), celebrated botanist, by descent to his wife's nephew,
Sir Edward Knatchbull, 9th Bt. (1781-1849), by descent to his eldest son by his second wife,
Edward Hugessen Knatchbull-Hugessen, 1st Baron Brabourne of Brabourne (1829-1893).
The Executors of the Rt. Hon. Lord Brabourne; Christie's, London, 8 June 1893, lot 145 (£292 to Garrard).
A Gentleman [E. H. Cuthbertson (D. L. Isaacs); Christie's, London, 16 April 1913, lot 68 (£430 to D. Davis).
Anonymous sale [Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company]; Christie's, London, 5 March 1919, lot 105 (£574 to Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company).
Anonymous sale [Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company]; Christie's, London, 15 July 1925, lot 122 (£382 to Tessiers).
Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere (1868-1940), newspaper proprietor and collector,
The Important Collection of Old English Silver Plate of the 16th, 17th and 18th Centuries, formed by the late Rt. Hon. Viscount Rothermere; Christie's, London, 3 December 1941, lot 110 (£360 to Tessiers).
A Private Collection of English and Scottish Silver; Sotheby's, New York, 23 April 1993, lot 306.

Revesby Abbey Mss. 289. W. Tutin, An Inventary [sic.] of the Plate of Wm. Banks Esq. taken the 14 January 1748[-9], which I then received into my possession and stand accountable for. William Tutin, 'one punch bowl[,] rim and strainer'.
J. W. F. Hill ed., The Lincolnshire Record Society, ' The Letters and Papers of the Banks Family of Revesby Abbey 1704-1760', volume 45, p. 224, the mss. cited above.

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Lot Essay

Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) was born at Revesby Abbey, Lincolnshire, the son of the M.P. William Banks (1719-1761). He was educated at Harrow School and later at Eton College and Christ Church College, Oxford. Banks took an early interest in botany and other fields of natural history. By 1766 his knowledge had already been recognized, at the age of 23 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. His influence with Lord Sandwich, first Lord of the Admiralty and the fortune he had inherited on the death of his father in 1761, which enabled him to travel at his own expense with Captain Cook on his first great voyage to the South Seas. The expedition set sail from Plymouth in the Endeavour on 25th August 1768, rounding Cape Horn on 27th January and reaching Taihiti ten weeks later. From here they continued to New Zealand, where they became the first Europeans to set foot on New Zealand soil. After six months exploration, during which they gathered botanical samples and studied Maori life, they proceeded to Australia, landing at Botany Bay, so named on account of the profusion of plants discovered by Banks and Dr. Solander, his friend and librarian. Ten years later on the arrival of Captain Phillips, the first Governor, in 1788, Banks became an unoffical advisor to him and successive governors. He championed many causes relating to the new colony and many plants and animals dicovered by him bear his name and it is often suggested that he was the founder of Australia.

Banks' achievements in the field of natural history were so immense that he was chosen as successor to Sir Joseph Pringle, President of Royal Society who died in 1777. He held this position until his death in 1820. Banks is not widely known for his publications which were relatively few in number but included a small work on Merino sheep, an interest he shared with King George III. His library and collections were vast and access was freely given to scientists of every nationality. He was created a baronet in 1781 and invested with the Order of the Bath on 1st July 1795.