HORSERACING INTEREST. THE HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT PAIR OF GEORGE III SILVER CORINTHIAN COLUMN TABLE CANDLESTICKS, ENGRAVED WITH THE CREST OF THE EARLS OF DERBY, ORIGINALLY THE PROPERTY OF EDWARD SMITH-STANLEY, 12TH EARL OF DERBY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURES IN THE HISTORY OF HORSE RACING, FAMOUS FOR HIS ROLE IN ESTABLISHING THE "OAKS" AND "DERBY" HORSE RACES RUN ANNUALLY AT EPSOM SINCE THE 1770s, AND A MEMBER OF A FAMILY WHOSE INVOLVEMENT IN HORSE RACING TRACES BACK TO THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE SPORT IN THE BRITISH ISLES.
By William Adby, London 1771-72, fluted columns with acanthus leaf capitals, on raised stepped square bases, with their original, detachable silver sconces (marked en-suite with maker's mark and London lion), 12.75 inches (32 cm) high approx. including sconces, the loaded bases and sconces each engraved discreetly with the crest of the Earls of Derby.
The sticks in generally good condition, with only light polishing overall, commensurate with age and use, maker's marks on both bases rubbed but maker's marks on both sconces well struck, crisp and clear.
The engraved crest on these sticks is as illustrated in Fairbairn's Crests (plate 121 number 6) "on a chapeau, gu., turned up, erm., an eagle, wings addorsed, or, feeding an infant in its nest, ppr swaddled, az, banded, of the third" (a cap, its upturned brim decorated with ermines, surmounted by an eagle, wings folded back, feeding an infant child in its nest).
The Brackley, de Ferrars, Eddisbury, Ferrars and Stanley, Earls of Derby, family crests are all similar to that illustrated in Fairbarn's Crests (plate 121, number 6). However, only the Stanley, Earls of Derby, family crest is identical to the one on these sticks, the crests of the other four families differing notably in many respects. The crests of the Brackley, de Ferrars and Ferrars families lacks the upturned ermine decorated brim on the cap, and the eagle on Eddisbury family crest has wings fully extended.
The date of manufacture and crest on these sticks indicates that they were originally the property of Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (1752-1834), who inherited the earldom in June 1771, following the death of his father, Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby. In addition to holding high public office, the 12th Earl of Derby, played a key role in the history of horse racing in Britain. At a dinner party held at his estate "The Oaks" in 1778, Lord Derby and his friends organised the first Sweepstake horse race, which was held the following year and won by Derby's own horse "Bridget". That famous fillies race, now known as "The Oaks" still takes place annually at Epsom racecourse to this day. In celebration of Lord Derby's win in 1778, a similar race for colts was also proposed. Lord Derby tossed a coin with Sir Charles Bunbury for the honour of naming the race, Lord Derby won, and the race, since held annually at Epsom, became known as "The Derby". Bunbury won the initial race in 1780 with his horse "Diomed" and Lord Derby went on to win the race in 1787 with "Sir Peter Teazle".
The 12th Earl of Derby, along with his family seat Knowsley Hall in Lancashire, owned a townhouse in London, "Derby House" in St. James Square, and his Surrey estate, "The Oaks" where he spent a considerable amount of time. It is possible, therefore, that these sticks formed part of the furnishings of The Oaks, and were on the table around which the inaugural Oaks and Derby horse races were first discussed and organised.
In addition to owning property and land in England, the Stanley family were also hereditary rulers of the Isle of Man, 1405-1765. In 1627 James Stanley (1607-1651) 7th Earl of Derby introduced the sport of horse racing to the island, donating a cup for an annual race that became known as the "Manx Derby", one of the earliest horse races to be organised in the British Isles
