A GEORGE III TWIN-HANDLED CUP

A GEORGE III TWIN-HANDLED CUP
PATRICK ROBERTSON, EDINBURGH 1789
The tapered bowl with engraved foliate swag borders, crest, motto and initials to oval cartouche to one side and armorial to the other, slender scroll handles to a spreading foot with the coat of arms of the Earl of Perth and Latin inscription to the border 
24cm high, 21.5oz
Heraldry:The Arms of Drummond, Viscount Strathallan and the Arms of Murray of DollerieThe two distinct armorial bearings as engraved upon this George III Scottish Sterling Silver Twin-Handled Cup by Patrick Robertson hallmarked Edinburgh 1789 are those of Drummond, Viscount Strathallan and Murray of Dollerie in the County of Perthshire. They may be blazoned as follows:Arms: Quarterly 1st and 4th Or three bars wavy gules (for Drummond) 2nd and 3rd Or a lion’s head erased with in a double tressure flory counterflory gules (for Drummond – Arms of Augmentation)The arms are ensigned with a viscount’s coronet.Crest: A falcon close reguardant holding in the dexter claw a garland of laurel all properSupporters: On either side a savage wreathed head and middle with ivy with clubs held upon their exterior shoulders all properMotto: Virtutem Coronat Honos [Honour crowns virtue]Given the date of hallmarking of this cup these arms pertain to General Andrew John Drummond – the de jure 7th Viscount Strathallan1 (born 1758 died 20th January 1814). He was the second son of James Drummond, the de jure 5th Viscount Strathallan and his wife, Euphemia Gordon. He succeeded his elder brother, James Drummond, the 6th de jure Viscount Strathallan upon his death on the 10th December 1775. Andrew had a distinguished service in the army having served America under Sir William Howe in 1776 and the following year, and on the Continent in the campaigns of 1793 and 1794. He was appointed as the Governor of Dumbarton Castle in 1810. He was promoted to the rank of General on the 1st January 1812. He never married.Murray of DollerieArms: Azure a saltire between three mullets argent within a double tressure flory counterflory orCrest: Two hands clasped fessways issuing from clouds all properUnder the crest is engraved the monogram ‘AM’.Motto: Fides Servata [Faith preserved]Once again, given the date of hallmarking of this cup, the engraved monogram ‘AM’ would be that of Anthony Murray of Dollerie in the County of Perthshire (born 5th February 1772 died circa 1838). He was the son of Anthony Murray and his wife, Helen Murray of Ochtertyre in the same county and the grandson of Anthony Murray of Dollerie, the younger who was killed whilst on the Jacobite site at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.As this cup appears to be a presentation piece from the inscriptions engraved upon itsfoot, viz:‘A NOBILISSIMO ILLORUM INSIGNIORUM GESTATORE MDCCLXXXIX’This inscription appears to infer that this cup was presented by Viscount Strathallan toAnthony Murray of Dollerie in the year 1789.Whilst the further inscription:‘PIGNUS AMICITATIAE’Refers to being a pledge of friendship. It would appear that as both the Drummonds and the Murrays were Perthshire families and from the evidence of this cup that there was a close acquaintance and friendship between the two gentlemen concerned.