A Paul Storr Cup for the Artists’ Benevolent Fund.

Paul Storr.

A George IV Cup with gilt interior, London 1822, presented to the Irish born artist William Mulready [1786-1863].

The upper body is fluted and campana shaped, with ribs forming panels joined to the lower bowl with a fringed edge and with four applied shell mounts and two out-curved handles supported upon bearded masks against the body. The whole is upon a circular pedestal foot with gadroon decoration and a similar collar just below the junction with the body. The hallmarks are struck under the body within the foot.

The cup is engraved on one side:
‘We Members of the Artists Fund whose names are hereon inscribed deeply impressed by The Important Services Rendered to That Society by William Mulready Esqr. R.A. From Its Formation (1810) To The Present Time as a testimony of our Approbation & Regard Present Him This Cup Decr. 1822.’
On each side of this inscription, in alphabetical order are 73 names of the members.
‘I.S. Agar; E.H. Baily R.A.; C. Barber; T. Barber; M.S. Barenger; J. Barenger; I. Barrow; J.G. Bubb; I. Byrne; T.S. Cafe; G. Clint A.R.A.; W.B. Cooke; G.Cooke; A. Cooper R.A.; G.J. Corbould; C. Cranmer; W.Daniel R.A.; S. Davenport; W. Derby; D. Dighton; E. Engleheart; E. Everitt; A.V.C. Fielding; W. Finden; E.F.Finden; H. Fradeller; E. Goodall; J. Green; I. Hassell; G. Hawkins; F.R. Hay; T. Higham; J.E. Hinchliff; H. Howard R.A.; W. Hudson; G. Hughes; R. Jones; F.A. Lege; I. Lekeux; H. Lekeux; J. Lewis; W. Lowry F.R.S.; F. Mackenzie; B. Marshall; S. Middiman; S. Mitan; I.T. Mitchell; H. Moses; C. Muss; I.P. Neale; A. Pugin; I. Pye; W. Radcliffe; T. Ranson; R.R. Reinagle A.R.A.; T.M. Richardson; R. Rhodes; I.H. Robinson; I. Romney; H. Rossi; H. Sass; E. Scriven; G. Shepheard; W.R. Smith; I. Stiven; I. Thompson; I.C. Varrell; I. Varley; W. Wallis; T. Warner; C. Warren; L.T. Wedgwood; R. Woodman.’
For an account of Mulready’s part in the formation and work of the Artists’ Benevolent Fund, see: John Pye, ‘Patronage in Historical Art, An Historical Sketch:Comprising an Account of the Rise and Progress of Art and Artists in London,’ published 1845. The book also contains an account of the presentation of this Cup at a meeting of the Artist’s Fund in the Freemasons’ Tavern on the 22nd January 1823. Mr. Charles Warren presided at the meeting: ‘Mr. Mulready, – Accept this cup from the artists, members of this Society, whose names are inscribed thereon, not as the reward of your exertions – that you will find in the success with which they have been crowned – but as a testimony of our approbation and regard, won by the important services you have rendered to the Artists’ Fund from its first formation up to the present time.’

In 1822 Paul Storr had formed a partnership with John Mortimer and had retail premises at 13, New Bond street, as Storr and Mortimer.