A collection of rare mid-18th Century ‘traitor’ glasses that is attracting global interest is set to be sold in Beverley.
Supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie raised the historic Jacobite glassware to toast him and show their loyalty to the idea of restoring the Stuart monarchy even though it was deemed an act of treason following the Battle of Culloden in April 1746 and punishable by death.
Backers defied suppression by using wine glasses bearing secret codes and messages of support to the Stuart cause that were only understood by those ‘in the know’.
The six “exceptional” Jacobite glasses, which are to be sold in single lots by North Cave and Beverley-based Hawleys Auctioneers, are described as a “historic reminder of a pivotal moment in Scottish history, one which would also change the course of British, European and world history”.
They could fetch substantial sums at auction with estimates ranging from £2,200 to £12,500 each.
Auctioneer Caroline Hawley said: “They are treason glasses and the six in our auction are exceptional examples. They all relate to the Jacobite rising and were used by supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Stuart monarchy. That’s what makes them so valuable and so collectable.
“There will be global interest in them, from museums, collectors and historians across the world, because they are so rare and they tell a story of one of the most turbulent and significant times in our history.”
The Jacobite rising began after the overthrow of Catholic King James II of England (James VII of Scotland) by Protestant William of Orange in 1688. The Jacobites launched a series of rebellions to restore the exiled Stuart dynasty, specifically James II, his son James, ‘The Old Pretender’ and grandson Charles – Bonnie Prince Charlie – ‘The Young Pretender’.
This culminated in the last pitched battle on British soil – Culloden, the final and bloodiest battle of the Jacobite Rising. Around 1,600 men were slain, 1,500 of them Jacobites. Their leader, Bonnie Prince Charlie, fled to France, never returning to Britain.
(Image: Hawleys Antiques)
The aftermath of the battle saw brutal suppression, with many Jacobites hunted down and killed. Support for the Stuart cause was effectively crushed. However, in secret gatherings, Jacobites pledged allegiance by using ornate glasses hand engraved with Jacobite symbols such as roses representing Bonnie Prince Charlie, oak leaves for the House of Stuart, and birds in flight representing the Stuart family’s return. Some carry Latin mottoes such as Redeat (May he return) and Revirescit (Let it grow again).
The fierce clampdown on Jacobite activities after Culloden has led to the belief that most Jacobite glasses were made and engraved in England, commissioned by individuals, families or by the secret clubs themselves.
The six glasses in the auction were originally owned by Scottish Jacobite authority Dr Geoffrey Seddon, author of The Jacobites and their Drinking Glasses, and which he sold at auction 17 years ago to a private collector.
The auction, which will also see oil paintings by East Riding artist Frederick William Elwell and two German and Prussian military helmets go under the hammer among other lots, starts at 10am at Beverley Racecourse on Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1. There will also be a stunning collection of several hundred powder compacts including vintage Volupte, Kigu, Lalique and art deco. Many are in astonishing shapes, such as hands, flying saucers, hats, and globes.
A preview will be held on Friday, May 30. For more information, visit hawleys.info