λA George III gold and enamel mounted ivory toothpick box

λA George III gold and enamel mounted ivory toothpick box,

unmarked, circa 1802,

rounded rectangular form, the hinged cover with dark blue enamel decoration, plain gold stringing, and with a central cartouche of plaited hair with a gold and enamel crowned 'P', set under glass, inscribed 'In memory of Henry Viscount Palmerston 1802', the interior of the cover with a mirror, length 9.5cm.

Henry Temple, (2nd Viscount Palmerston), was the son of Henry Temple (1st Viscount Palmerston) and Jane, daughter of Sir John Barnard, Lord Mayor of London. He succeeded to the peerage in 1757, and was educated at Clare College, Cambridge from 1757 to 1759. As a member of the British House of Commons, he represented the constituencies of East Looe between 1762 and 1768, Southampton between 1768 and 1774, Hastings between 1774 and 1784, Boroughbridge between 1784 and 1790, Newport, Isle of Wight between 1790 and 1796, and Winchester between 1796 and his death in 1802. His son, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, was Prime Minister in the mid 19th century.