An Erskine Bookplate to Match my Scottish Silver Dessert Spoons

I recently posted an article about a trio of Scottish dessert spoons which had belonged to the Erskine family.  On a trip to the Portobello Market in London, I came across a large stack of bookplates, and when I saw the "Je Pense Plus" motto and the name "James Erskine of Alva Esqr", I couldn't believe it.

James Erskine (1722-1796) was the son of Charles Areskine (the spelling he, but not his children, preferred), and most likely the next owner of the dessert spoons, or perhaps even the one who had the spoons made.  Below is a painting by Francis Lindo of James Erskine with his first wife, Margaret Maguire, and two of their children painted in 1761.  The top of the frame is decorated with the Erskine coat of arms, which matches those on the bookplate.  Lawrence's, the auction house which put the painting up for sale in January of this year, has this to say about James Erskine: "He was appointed Lord of Sessions in Scotland (a senior judiciary role) and took the title Lord Barjarg (named for the family property on this mother's side, later sold) and subsequently changed his name to Lord Alva.  Erskine married Margaret Maguire (1729-1766) in 1749.  They had three children: Charles (1751-1761...), Isabella and John.  After Margaret's death at the age of 37, Erskine married Jean Stirling in 1772 and she bore him a daughter, also called Jean."

Photograph courtesy of the-saleroom.com

The painting below by David Allan hangs in the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh, and depicts James Erskine with his second wife, Jean Stirling, and three of his children.  Erskine commissioned the painting in 1780 to commemorate his becoming a founder-subscriber of St. Cecilia's Hall, the new venue for the Music Society of Edinburgh.  According to The National Galleries of Scotland website, James Erskine helped to launch David Allan's career as a portrait and figure painter in the 1760s.  This painting was one of David Allan's first group portraits in the "conversational manner."

Photo courtesy of The National Galleries of Scotland

My short trip to London was wonderful, with the usual regret of "I'll have to save this for next time" being applied to visiting St. Vedast church in Foster Lane to see its collection of church plate, scheduling an appointment to do silver research at Goldsmith's Hall, visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum, and spending more time in silver shops.  However, my visit happily coincided with the monthly meeting of the Silver Spoon Club, to which a "silver friend" invited me.  It was so much fun spending an hour or so talking about nothing but silver, but even more fun to meet people I had hitherto only corresponded with and to meet new silver friends.  I was also lucky enough to meet a couple of dealer friends who were absolutely wonderful.  If I didn't have a husband to consider on this trip, I'd still be talking to them.  Next time, I am going for a month.