6cm (2.3in) x 1.5cm (0.6in)
Provenance: Admiral Sir Hyde Parker (1739-1807)
Thence by family descent,
Bonhams, New Bond Street, Lot 122, 16.01.2002
Silver. Circular snuff box with gilt interior, the stand away hinged lid struck with a profile bust of Admiral Viscount Nelson by Peter Wyon. Signed beneath the shoulder PWF for P[eter] W[yon] F[ecit]. Maker’s mark of Joseph Willmore. Hallmarked Birmingham 1806.
The noted Birmingham medallist and dye engraver Peter Wyon (1797-1822) was a close associate of the Birmingham manufacturer Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) of the Soho Mint, who on his own initiative produced an eponymous medal for all survivors of the battle of Trafalgar, having been ‘publicly saddened’ that George III had not produced an award. Boulton further produced a small number of fine silver or silver-gilt snuffboxes to designs by Peter Wyon (1797-1822) in the months following Nelson’s death at Trafalgar for distribution among a select group of Nelson admirers and associates. See https://armoury.co.uk/products/admiral-lord-nelson-silver-tribute-plaque-circa-1806. The present snuff box falls into a similar category being a collaboration between a third generation Birmingham silversmith Joseph Willmore who registered his mark in 1806 at the Birmingham Assay Office and was highly regarded as a snuff-box maker.
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The original owner of the present snuff box will be forever associated with the phrase ‘to turn a blind eye’. In 1801 the cautious Admiral Sir Hyde Parker was appointed to command the Baltic Fleet destined to break up the northern armed neutrality, with Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson as his second-in-command. Copenhagen, the first objective of the expedition, fell in the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801 to the fierce attack of Nelson's squadron – Parker, with the heavier ships, taking little part due to the shallowness of the channel. Parker sent a signal to Nelson's forces ordering them to discontinue the action. When the order was brought to Nelson's attention, he lifted his telescope in the direction of the signal flags up to his blind eye, saying, “I have a right to be blind sometimes. I really do not see the signal," and most of his forces continued to press home the attack. The frigates supporting the line-of-battle ships did break off, in one case suffering severe losses in the retreat. Later that day after victory had been secured, Nelson openly stated that he had "fought contrary to orders". Sir Hyde Parker was recalled in disgrace and Nelson appointed Commander-in-Chief of the fleet following the battle
Peter Wyon (1767–1822), an engraver of medals and coins, was born into a Birmingham family who had a long tradition of dye-engraving. He was the son of George Wyon, as well as the brother of Thomas Wyon, with whom he went into business for a short time.[2] Both his nephew, Thomas Wyon, and his son, William Wyon, held the position of Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint.[3][4]
After his brother went to London, Wyon remained working in Birmingham.[5] Wyon worked for the manufacturer and business man, Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) in Soho, Birmingham.[1] He was associated with the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.
Joseph Willmore (1773-1855) was the grandson of Thomas Willmore, an original member of the Birmingham Assay Office established 1773. Joseph Willmore began as a buckle maker, and
Joseph registered his mark in 1806 at the Birmingham Assay Office as a snuff-box maker. He was later renowned for his snuff boxes with repoussé or ‘castle-top’ lids. He later also registered at the London Assay Office in 1814-15, opening a showroom in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London. He took on his grandfather’s business on his death in 1816, and expanded the variety of silver wares.
Hyde Parker (1739- 1807) was born in Devonshire, England, the second son of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet (1714–1782). He entered the Royal Navy at an early age, and became lieutenant on 25 January 1758, having passed most of his early service in his father's ships. On 16 December 1762 was promoted to command Manila, from which, on 18 July 1763, he was posted to Baleine.
From 1766 onwards for many years he served in the West Indies and in North American waters, particularly distinguishing himself in breaking the defences of the North River at New York in 1776 as captain of HMS Phoenix. His services on this occasion earned him a knighthood in 1779. In 1778 he was engaged in the Savannah expedition, and in the following year his ship was wrecked on the hostile Cuban coast. His men, however, entrenched themselves, and were in the end brought off safely. He became commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands Station in 1779.
Parker was with his father at the Battle of Dogger Bank, and with Richard Howe in the two actions in the Straits of Gibraltar. He reached flag rank on 1 February 1793, the same day that war was declared against the new French Republic. As rear-admiral, he served under Samuel Hood at Toulon and in Corsica. He was promoted to vice-admiral on 4 July 1794 and took part, under The Lord Hotham, in the indecisive fleet actions on 13 March 1795 and 13 July 1795. From 1796 to 1800 he was in command at the Jamaica Station and ably conducted the operations in the West Indies. These included the tracking down and execution of a number of crewmen involved in the mutiny on board HMS Hermione in 1797.