London No. 1

Gonzales' 'London in 1731' provides "a list of his Majesty's regalia", where, listed as entry no. 8, appears: "A noble silver font, double gilt, that the kings and royal family were chistened in." Cox & Harvey (1907) inform that, among the regalia at the Tower, there is a silver font which stands 37 1/4 inches [=93.12 cm], the bowl having a diameter of 17 1/4 inches [=43.12 cm], a covered font surmounted by St. Philip baptising a eunuch. This is probably the same font described in Bond (1908) as a christening bowl "of silver, double gilt, very massive, and elaborately enriched with figures, foliage and flowers." Described also in Wall (1912). The font appears described and illustrated in a 1998 publication (Crown Jewels, 1998, v. 2). It is shaped like the ciborium used to contain the holy wafers after mass, with a tall slender base and a domed cover shaped to match the basin; the finial of the lid is indeed, as Cox described [cf. supra], a baptismal font in which stand both St. Philip and the eunuch; the bibliographic source (Crown Jewels, 1998) describes the decoration thus: "considerable virtuosity , both in its chased decoration and the cover finial group [... is] unique in its nature and size in English silver." The repousé work on the basin and lid includes six cherubs described in the source (Crown Jewels, 1998) as each holding an emblem/symbol of martyrdom (sword, hammer, wip, torch, etc.); between the cherubs, flowers and leaves. This same source provides full measuments and weights for both the font and the large flat additional basin which completes the set. The maker's mark "RF" is said in the source to correspond to Richard Farmer who made the font for the 1661 baptism of Charles II. Indeed, Charles II's arms appear on the inside of the bowl. The source gives the weights as: font and cover=19.33 kg; extra basin=9.10 kg; total of the three items =28.43 kg [description based on illustration and notes in 'Crown Jewels' (1998)]. Yvonne Demoskoff, in her article "Christening Information for Relatives of the British Royal Family from King George I to Queen Elizabeth II" (2001-2002) [http://mypage.uniserve.ca/~canyon/christenings2.html] informs that the font was made "on the order of King Charles II. It is 37" tall, is decorated with cherubs, foliage and figures, and was first used in 1688 for the christening of Prince James Francis Edward, son of King James II." She further informs that nearly all of George II's children were baptised in it and that it may have been the font in which the future Queen Victoria was baptised, "although there isn't any official record". [NB: Demoskoff (ibid.) informs of another royal font, "the portable Lily Font" designed by Prince Albert; this Lily Font is apparently used for royal baptisms as well]