Antiques Roadshow and the Sconce Family Archives

Several years ago I obtained a sizable archive from the family of Robert Clement Sconce (1787-1846). It contains hundreds of photographs and negatives, dozens of letters and documents, a hundred or so drawings, sketches and watercolor paintings, and a number of books, journals and diaries.

Robert Clement Sconce, while born and raised in England, spent most of his adult life in the Mediterranean on the British controlled island of Malta. He held numerous positions in the British Admiralty that afforded him time and space to dabble in botany and art. He was in Malta as secretary to Admiral Sir John Duckworth and for ten years he was also Naval Agent Victualler for HM Dockyard, Malta. Although he was never wealthy, he and his family lived well and circulated in upper class English society.

Portrait of Robert Clement Sconce

In 1861 his daughter put together his life and Letters in two volumes:  LIFE AND LETTERS of ROBERT CLEMENT SCONCE, formerly Secretary to Admiral Sir John Duckworth, Compiled for his Grandchildren by his daughter Sarah Susanna Bunbury.

 

Title Page from Robert Clement Sconce Life and Letters

Sconce was an artist, among all of his other achievements and positions (see my earlier post) and his letters reveal some of his advice to his daughter Sally, who was an accomplished artist in her own right.

His pencil revelled in the glorious Swiss scenery, after his long imprisonment at Malta; and he made an immense number of sketches, colouring a great many on the spot, and making exquisitely-finished drawings from them on his return to Malta. There was at Malta a little valley near Boschetto, containing about half a dozen fine trees,—a species of ash and of these my Father had made some dozens of finished drawings, making portraits of them in every point of view.

Whatever you sketch, colour it from nature when you can. All the great authorities agree, and my own experience has amply proved it, that an hour's work from nature is more improving and more interesting than a month's from memory or imagination.

I believe some of the paintings in this archive are his, but these are not signed, so I cannot be sure. In the comments about publishing Sconce's Life and Letters, Sarah mentions that while she wished to have included copies of her father's paintings in the book, finances did not allow for it.

His son Herbert Sconce (1833-1867) was also an artist … the artistic talent seemed to pass on to the next generation. His real job was as Principal Commissioner and Captain in the Bengal Army, as he was stationed in Assam, India. Alas, as an ambassador from Britain in India, Herbert was a disaster. His arrogance and antagonism toward the people of the Pulagahri region led to the now infamous and deadly uprising in October of 1861.

According to family members, Herbert was just not into the “commissioner thing.” He left the administration and decision making largely up to his deputies. In official meetings he was bored and inattentive. He would spend his time drawing sketches, many of which he later would color at home. This archive has dozens of his sketches and drawings.

 

Herbert Sconce Self Portraits

Above are all by Herbert Sconce

Another relative of Sconce was John Lawrence Habberton (1842-1921) … he was the author of Helen’s Babies, published in 1866. Habberton’s daughter, Florence married Herbert Sconce’s son Robert Clement Sconce (grandson of the Robert Clement Sconce above). A couple of early copies of this book are in this archive … one was sent to a Capt. Swinnerton in 1896, who proceeded to annotate virtually every page with notes, criticisms, corrections and suggestions, and then returned it to the author!

 

The Helen's Babies book as sent to Capt. S. A. Swinnerton

The Helen's Babies books and Amy Sconce's journal

Another item I am taking from this archive is a book containing the observations of Amelia “Amy” Sconce (1869-1939), daughter of Herbert Sconce, on trips to Niagara Falls in 1904 and to New York City in 1906. Hand written and quite interesting.

Amy Sconce's journal entries of her travels in New York

The final item from this archive is the most special of all the items … the little book Robert Clement Sconce wrote for his daughter Sally in 1820. I covered this book in a previous post.

 

Plants Quadrupeds Birds by Robert Clement Sconce c1820

I think this archive is quite significant … and hope to get confirmation of that in this visit to the Roadshow. We will see.