LONDON.- Bonhams will be auctioning the internationally renowned glass collection of A C Hubbard Jr. on 30th November 2011 at Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street, London. The important and magnificent Prince William V of Orange Goblet, circa 1766, is the major highlight not only of the sale but of all English glass offered at auction in recent years, and is estimated to sell for £100,000-150,000.

This goblet is signed by William Beilby. The Beilby workshop in Newcastle was renowned for its enamel decoration of glass and produced around 90 recorded heraldic decanters, goblets and wine glasses, mainly with English armorials of which a significant handful depict Royal coats of arms. Simon Cottle, Head of Bonhams Glass Department, comments, “The majority of their fine goblets with Royal armorials now reside in public institutions worldwide. The Prince William V of Orange Goblet in this auction offers a rare opportunity to possess an example, it is one of only four left in private hands. It is also one of only 16 glasses to be signed, and at an imposing 30.2cm in height it is by far the largest of all Beilby goblets. I believe its production may have led William Beilby’s entry to a contemporary valuable Dutch glass market. Its large size and colourful enamel decoration would have been particularly impressive to the Dutch at a time when their craftsmen were producing smaller, engraved pieces.”

Assembled by a discerning Baltimore collector with a passion for fine wines, A C Hubbard Jr.’s collection includes examples of the best of English and Dutch glass from the 17th and 18th Centuries, many previously published in the literature on glass. From majestic early heavy baluster goblets of both large and small size to the attractive colour-twist wine glasses of the later period, this private collection is one of the finest to be offered at auction in recent years.

Iconic 18th century drinking glasses, such as those painted by the Beilby family in Newcastle, also include several further important colourful heraldic goblets and a range of their exquisite wine glasses painted with a variety of subjects in white enamel.

Of the colour-twist glasses in the sale several examples feature rare combinations of threads, three of which have highly uncommon canary-yellow stems. Notable English engraved political wine glasses sit happily alongside their Dutch counterparts of which there are numerous light-baluster examples decorated with Royal armorials, VOC ships and political themes such as the patriotic glass by Jacob Sang, dated 1758. Dutch stipple-engraved glass from the hands of David Wolff, Alius and other contemporary 18th century artists represents further classic highlights of this magnificent collection of over 270 lots.

Simon Cottle, comments, “There are few collections of English and Dutch 18th century glass of this quality still in private hands. The Hubbard sale therefore presents a wonderful and rare opportunity to acquire examples from what is now considered to be the Golden Age of lead crystal.”