A George IV Scottish two-handled silver tray

A George IV Scottish two-handled silver tray,
by George McHattie, Edinburgh 1809,
rounded rectangular form, gadroon border, the centre engraved with an armorial, acanthus leaf handles, on four acanthus leaf bracket feet, length handle to handle 56cm, approx. weight 88oz.

The armorial is that of Admiral Sir Eliab Harvey G.C.B (1758-1830), captain of HMS Temeraire in the Battle of Trafalgar.

Provenance:
The Barry Lock Collection.
Purchased from J. H. Bourdon-Smith Ltd, London, 7 January 2009.

Admiral Sir Eliab Harvey was a notorious figure in the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Known for his gambling and duelling, he was also celebrated for his service in the Battle of Trafalgar. During the combat, he brilliantly captained the HMS Temeraire, known as The Fighting Temeraire, forcing the surrender of two French ships of the line. Their names would feature in the family motto he later created, 'Redoutable et Fougueux'.