* The Cypher of King George III
The cypher as engraved upon the body of this English Georgian Cut Glass Decanter and Stopper is that of King George III.
The cypher is unusual in that it employs the Arabic numeral '3' rather than the more usual Roman numeral 'III'.
So saying, the cypher of George's father, King George II was often depicted using the Arabic '2' in place of the Roman 'II'.
A further example of the use of 'G3R' is shown stamped in gilt upon the flap of a military cartridge pouch ( below).
As glass is a fairly unforgiving medium, a slight error has crept in where the engraver has been over zealous with his engraving tool.
thereby extending the two 'feet' of the down strokes of the 'R' to appear to form a 'B'.
Given that this decanter was manufactured over two hundred years ago and was thereafter worked
and engraved in either natural
or candle light or by the light of an oil lamp in the engravers' workshop, it is inevitable that such errors occur.
In all probability it was not even noticed at the time, as decanters such as these were utilitarian items,
especially so when this particular decanter, as evidenced by the king's cypher was employed, in the service of the Crown
- in all probability in the dining or ante room of an officers' mess in the British Army either at home or abroad.
Again, looking at the crown above the cypher it is only a rough approximation of the Royal Crown,
it is in no way an exact copy - and it is not meant to be.
Subjects of King George knew what it represented -
the authority of the Crown and outward manifestation of the loyalty to the king.
(Heraldric Documentation by John Tunesi, of Liongam, England) |