Pieces of silver

TOASTED sandwiches were all the rage in the 1970s when sales of Breville's toastie maker were red hot - but did you know the York Lord Mayor was enjoying just such a snack as early as 1805?

Yes, the joys of the cheese toastie were being savoured by our civic leaders thanks to the invention of a dinky device by a forward-looking silversmith.

The flat-bottomed machine would be filled with a sandwich then placed on the hot stove and served straight to York's first citizen at the dining table.

This early 19th century invention is one of the quirkier items on display at an exhibition opening today at Fairfax House.

For the next three months, the Castlegate venue will be host to the city's 'family silver': York's fine collection of Lord Mayor's silver, gold and silver plate.

The collection has been dubbed the city's 'hidden treasure' and for good reason. Its Fairfax House airing marks the first time the collection has been on show in its entirety to the public.

The showpiece is the recreation of an entire table from the Lord Mayor's Banquet for Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, on his visit to York in 1850. The event was regarded as the most sumptuous civic banquet ever seen in the city.

"They ate peacock pie, turtles heads, pigeons with asparagus, woodcocks, snipes and other exotic game birds, and the wine list was amazing," says Peter Brown, Fairfax House director and exhibition curator.

"They called in the best chef of the day to orchestrate it all: Alex Soyer, from London, who had written lots of books about dining. They must have thought that if they were going to have the Queen's Consort, better get the dog's biscuit up here."

The table is lined with polished domed serving dishes, including several 'hot plates', which consisted of three-tiers: a lid and a serving plate atop a dish either filled with hot water or a spirit light.

Impressive as the dining set piece is, it is some of the individual items on display in cabinets which really excite Mr Brown.

Take for example the silver chamber pot made by York silversmith Marmaduke Best in the 1670s.

Lord Mayors and royalty alike would have used this pot over the years, explains Mr Brown. It's quite likely Prince Albert would have used it during his stay in 1850 as would have the future George IV when he dined at the Mansion House following a trip as Prince Regent to York races in 1785.

Stories of great rivalries underpin much of the collection - not only between silversmiths vying for prestigious civic commissions, but also among the city's rich and powerful figures over who could donate the most lavish silver to the Mayoralty.

On display are two 17th-century silver tankards, which are almost identical despite being made by different York silversmiths: one by Marmaduke Best, the other by John Plummer.

"You could say there was a sort of silver wars," laughs Mr Brown. "Another maker was Thomas Mangy. They were all rivals and it was very important for their work to be represented at the Mansion House.

"York was a very important regional centre at the time. The style of things we were doing in York was every bit as good as the London makers."

The culture of one-upmanship spread to the city's leading lights too. In another cabinet, the visitor will notice two very similar tureens, dating from the late 18th century.

One was from John Carr, celebrated architect and former Lord Mayor. The other was from Peter Johnson, who as recorder of York, was the city's foremost lawyer.

Mr Brown believes Carr's tureen is the finer model and was probably gifted after Johnson's.

Carr also donated a fabulous urn, from which it was traditional to serve hot wine to city councillors, who each had a porcelain cup decorated with a ward name and the cross of St George with the five lions of York.

Much of the Mansion House collection is the result of the generosity of the city's forebears.

Mr Brown explains why: "They perhaps did not see a paper record as sufficient to record their involvement and wanted to have something solid and dignified to be reminded by."

Mr Brown hopes the exhibition will prove popular and prompt the city to put the collection on permanent display at the Mansion House, with open access to the public.

u Fit For A King - 350 Years of York Mansion House Silver, will run at Fairfax House until October 1. Admission: £4 adults, £3.50 concessions, £1.50 children. York residents can claim 50 per cent discount with a York Card or proof of residency. Opening hours: 11am-5pm, Monday to Thursday and Saturday. Sundays 1.30-5pm. Friday is guided tours only: at 11am and 2pm. For more information, call 01904 655543 or visit the website: www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk

u The silver fest will continue from July 14-28 when the Merchant Adventurers Hall hosts an exhibition of Three Centuries of York Silver, featuring more than 250 pieces dating from 1500 to 1858. For more details, call 01904 654818.

PICTURE - Carr's urn and cups for mulled wine, part of the Fit For A King exhibition

Picture: Paul Baker