Rare Victorian Silver 'Castle-Top' Vinaigrette - King Williams College, Isle of Man

An extremely rare Victorian silver castle-top Vinaigrette of shaped rectangular form with foliate scroll decoration to the base and sides, the lid with an engraved and named scene depicting King Williams College School on the Isle of Man. The gilded interior with a finely pierced grille hinging open in a landscape manor rather than the more usual portrait style. The base with a shaped cartouche engraved with contemporary initials.

By George Unite, Birmingham, 1843.

King William's College (Manx: Colleish Ree Illiam) is a co-educational private school for pupils aged 3 to 18 near Castletown on the Isle of Man. It is a member of the International Baccalaureate and Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference organisations. The College operates at two sites: a main senior school campus on the shore of Castletown Bay, and a prep school (The Buchan School) in the Westhill part of Castletown. The College was originally for boys only, but became co-educational in the 1980s. It has roughly five hundred pupils.

The establishment of the College was funded principally by the Bishop Barrow Trust, originally set up in 1668 to provide education in the Isle of Man. Founded in 1833, the College opened its doors with 46 boys. The shield in the centre of the College's coat of arms is that of Bishop Isaac Barrow. The school was named after King William IV, who is said to have been asked for a financial contribution and to have offered the founders "my most valuable possession, my name".

£2,200.00