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Armorie v. Delamirie (1722) K.B., 1 Strange 505, 93 ER 664 |
| | Repeated violations of Goldsmiths' Company regulations are noted throughout De Lamerie's career. In 1714, he was fined for "not having his work hallmarked"; further complaints were filed the following November because the fine remained unpaid. In 1715, he was accused of passing off work made by others as his own. Similar charges were made the next year. By 1717, he was known as the King's Silversmith, but was also named in a complaint for making and selling unmarked wares. In 1722, he was, of course, accused of cheating Armory, the chimneysweep's boy. And in 1726, he was involved in the trial of Robert Dingley, a goldsmith involved in exporting silver to Russia. Dingley was preparing to ship a large number of silver wares when the Goldsmiths' Company tried to intercept his shipment on the suspicion that pieces were not assayed and that the requisite duty was unpaid. Much of the wares, in fact, were unmarked, and around half of the goods were supplied by Paul De Lamerie. Nevertheless, Dingley avoided inspection by distracting Company officials in a tavern while the goods were being loaded and dispatched overseas. |
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< | While these violations did not affect De Lamerie's business in any significant way, in his extensive biography of De Lamerie, P.A.S. Phillips refers to Armory v. Delamirie as an "extraordinary incident in his career, which was to bring him into a different sphere of fame, although quite unintentionally and unexpectedly on his part." |
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> | In his extensive biography of De Lamerie, P.A.S. Phillips refers to Armory v. Delamirie as an "extraordinary incident in his career, which was to bring him into a different sphere of fame, although quite unintentionally and unexpectedly on his part." Nevertheless, while the suit was to become "one of the leading cases of the law of the land and to be known afterwards as ruling the law as to 'trover'", De Lamerie's business remained unaffected by his involvement in this or any other violation of Goldsmiths' Company regulations. |
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> | Prior to the lawsuit, De Lamerie's business had been flourishing. In 1717, he was admitted to the livery of the Goldsmiths' Company and would eventually secure the highest post offered by the Company, Prime Wardenship. By 1723, De Lamerie could already count members of the nobility and wealthy middle class at clients. Nevertheless, Susan Hare notes that "in spite of his title of King's Silversmith there is little evidence that he was fulfilling royal orders." Little question exists, however, in classifying De Lamerie as a shrewd businessman. Evidence introduced in Armory v. Delamirie reveals that in addition to a workshop, De Lamerie also kept an "open shop for ordinary trading purposes" where he also dealt in jewelry. This is confirmed by a document issued after his death for sale of his stock by auction. Hare notes that De Lamerie was a man of considerable wealth based on the "considerable investments in property he began making early in 1733" and "from his lending money on mortgage." Nevertheless, despite his wealth, when De Lamerie's father died in 1735, he was given a pauper's burial at St. Anne's Church, suggesting a certain callousness on the part of his son. |
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< | Prior to the lawsuit, De Lamerie's business had been flourishing. In 1717, he was admitted to the livery of the Goldsmiths' Company and would eventually secure the highest post offered by the Company, Prime Wardenship. Evidence introduced in the case revealed that in addition to a workshop, De Lamerie also kept an "open shop for ordinary trading purposes" where he also dealt in jewelry. This is confirmed by a document issued after his death for sale of his stock by auction. |
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> | In a recent article, De Lamerie is referred to as a "pioneer of what became the Industrial revolution, operating a workshop or factory with a retail arm; he also began by making all the works that bore his maker's mark himself, then devising a system whereby his designs were manufactured by other craftsmen working under his supervision." De Lamerie designed but probably did not assist in constructing his masterpiece of Rococo style, the Maynard dish. E. Alfred Jones also states De Lamerie had "collaborators and apprentices just as had Vandyck and Rubens and other artists." |
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< | In a recent article, De Lamerie is referred to as a "pioneer of what became the Industrial revolution, operating a workshop or factory with a retail arm; he also began by making all the works that bore his maker's mark himself, then devising a system whereby his designs were manufactured by other craftsmen working under his supervision." De Lamerie designed but probably did not assist in constructing his masterpiece of Rococo style, the Maynard dish. |
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> | Other Articles on De Lamerie |
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> | Exhibition Review: Tessa Murdoch reviews an international exhibition of De Lamerie silver at the London Goldsmiths' Company, from The Burlington Magazine (1990). |
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> | Book Review: W.W. Watts reviews P.A.S. Phillips' biography of De Lamerie, from the Burlington Magazine (1935). |
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< | * Paul_De_Lamerie,_Goldmsith.pdf: "Paul De Lamerie, Goldsmith" from The Burlington Magazine (1920) |
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> | The Work of Paul De Lamerie |
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< | * Paul_de_Lamerie.pdf: Review of exhibition, from The Burlington Magazine (1990)
De Lamerie ranks as one of the finest and most prolific silversmiths of his time. Below are links to images of De Lamerie's work: |
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> | De Lamerie ranks as one of the finest and most prolific silversmiths of his time. Below are links to images of his work: |
| | Shells: 1724-25 |
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