HISTORIC BOWL SOLD.

Shannon News, 10 September 1929, Page 2

HISTORIC BOWL SOLD.

PEPYS ONCE USED IT. A LIVELY CONTROVERSY. There was much - disappointmeni when the historic Saffron Walden Mazer bowl was knocked down at Christie's recently for only £2900. The onlycause for satisfaction was that the purchaser was not an American, but « London dealer, Mr P. Oliver. The bowl, widen is of polished maplewood, with a silver rim, bearing the London hall-mark for 1507, and a 'silver plate, with figures of the Virgin and Child, had- been the property- of the King Edward VI. Almhouses at Saffron Walden, Essex, for more than 400 years.

It was presented to the institution as "a broad cup dring in, price of 40 shillings, ye which cupp Margaret Bregcheman gave to serve in ye forsaid house perpetual for ye soul 3 of her and of Stephen Bregcheman and all their friends."

Pepys mentions it in his famous diary, and, describing his visit to Saffron Walden in 1659, states that "they brought him a draft of their drink in 4j brown bowl, tipt with silver." He adds: —"So we went to.our inn (White Hart), and after eating of something, and kissed the daughter of the house, she being very pretty, we took leave!"

The almhouses found themselves last year for the first time in need of money. Coincident-ally, the Charity Commisioners who had been granting them Jl9l a year, learned of the bowl's existence and value, and threatened to stop the grant if it were not sold. Another charity also hinted that it would stop an annual grant of £25.

The town folk and others were very indignant, and a short time ago, a petition was extensively signed and sent io the Charity Commissioners, the sig-r:.-itories including Lord Braybrooke, the Master of Magdalene College, Cambiidge, the Earl of Sandwich, the Vicar of Saffron Walden, the present rel resentative of the- founder of the aimhouses, Mr Llewellyn Bird, the Essex Archaeological Society, representatives ot ! the Pepys Society, and many prominent residents of the town and neighbourhood. However, the,commissioners would not relent, and the trustees, who have an income of only about £9OO a year, resolved, by a majority of one, that the bowl be offered for sale.

"In making her 'perpetual gift,' " says the Morning Post, "Margaret Bregcheman little reckoned with the cupidity of the Twentieth Century, or, one may add, with the Charity Commissioners." :