Of heavy gauge and D-form, the mounted curved blue steel body sided by gadrooned uprights
and a shell and foliate handle, semi-circular silver ends, the lower end hinged;
the solid back engraved with a coat of arms

are those of the family of Hunter quartering Thomson..

above the motto :

"SPERO MELIORA" (I Hope For Better Things);

fully marked on body and lid; the lid with a gilt interior

Condition : Excellent, with wear appropriate to age and light use;
expected light rubbing to the handle; crisp engraving and marks; tight hinge
 
4.25" High / 2.6 oz. Total Weight

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#7721

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The Arms of Hunter

 
The arms as engraved upon this George IV English Sterling Silver Kitchen Nutmeg Grater

by Charles Rawlings hallmarked London 1824

are those of the family of Hunter quartering Thomson.

They may be blazoned as follows:
Arms:

Quarterly 1st and 4th (……?) on a chevron (……?) between three buglehorns (……?) stringed (……?)

a crescent (……?) between (two roses/cinquefoils) (……?) ¹ (for Hunter)

2nd and 3rd Argent a stag's head cabossed gules attired with twelve tynes or on a chief azure a cross crosslet fitchy

of the first between an anchor in the dexter and a billet in the sinister of the third ² (for Thomson)
Crest:

A buglehorn (……?) stringed (……?) (for Hunter)
Motto:

Spero meliora ³ (I hope for better things)

Upon the balance of probability and without any evidence to the contrary this nutmeg
grater may well have been was in the possession of William Hunter (born 1792 died
1867), the eldest son of James Hunter, of Phoebe Place, Upper Holloway in the
County of Middlesex and his wife, Rebecca Thomson of Logie and Faskine4 in the
County of Lanarkshire. James and Rebecca were married at the Parish Church of St
Mary Le Bone, Marylebone in the County of Middlesex on 7th August 1791. James
was a cotton factor in the City of London and in 1818 his business turnover was
£500,000 (pounds sterling) which vast amount of money in the early 19th Century
which goes to show the wealth of the family at the time, whilst Rebecca's father,
Andrew was a banker, coal merchant and Virginia tobacco merchant.

The Marriage Record of James Hunter and Rebecca Thomson of Logie and Faskine in the
Register of the Parish Church of St Mary Le Bone, Marylebone, Co. Middlesex 7th August 1791.

¹ Whether these arms were borne by authority is not known.
² The arms of Thomson appear to be a variant of the arms of Thomson of Logie, viz: 'Argent a stag's head cabossed gules attired with twelve tynes or on a chief wavy azure a cross crosslet of the first between an anchor in the dexter and a billet in the sinister of the third'. [Lyon Court 1760]
³ Several Hunter families in Scotland use the Latin word 'Spero' [I hope] in their mottoes.

Heraldry Courtesy of John Tunesi of Liongam

MSc, FSA Scot, Hon FHS, QG

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Scarce George IV Silver Kitchen Nutmeg Grater, Charles Rawlings, London, 1824 

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