THE KING’S PANTRY.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7914, 4 August 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE KING’S PANTRY.

It is called the Gold Pantry, and it deserves the name. It consists of two largo fireproof stone rooms, to which only' highly-favoured visitors are ever admitted. On great occasions, like the marriage of a princess, say, selections from its numberless treasures are brought forth to grace the marriage feast, but the collection of magnificent gold pjato which these strong-rooms contain is otherwise .seldom seen, except by those who are responsible far its safe keeping. The George IV. gold dinner service is generally regarded as the pick of tlie plate, although there are certain articles, which would come under tho head of table ornaments, which would weight for weight, greatly exceed it 'in value. One of these is a shield formed of snuff-boxes, worth £9.(XX), whilst a costly toy in tho shape of a peacock, its spread tail encrusted with precious stones, is valued at £30,000. StiW another is a tiger’s head of solid gold, with teeth of crystal, his tongue being formed of an ingot of gold. Tho dinner service already mentioned is calculated for 140 guests. The plates, numbering thirty doezn, arc worth by v eight alone, £IO,(XX). Here, too, is kept St. George’s candelabrum, one of the contents of tho pantry which appears pretty regularly, for it is used at feasts of the. Knights of the Garter. There are also several exquisite cups by Cellini and a variety of costly cpergnee, tankards, and salvers, all, needless to state, of solid gold.