Published: Wednesday, 17th March, 2010 11:51am

Stolen quaich on show at Abbotsford

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A SILVER quaich owned by Sir Walter Scott and stolen in 1994 has been returned to the writer's Abbotsford home in the Scottish Borders after a 16 year absence.

Known as the Waterloo Tree Quaich, the piece is made from silver gilt and elm wood that was cut from a tree at the Waterloo battlefield.

The Duke of Wellington directed his troops from a position under the tree in 1815 and it subsequently became a target for souvenir hunters.

The timbers were used to make a number of prestigious pieces including Chippendale chairs for the Prince Regent in 1821, and a chair for the Duke of Wellington, which was presented to him in 1837.

Scott's Quaich dates from 1824 and was made by Joseph Angell of London. It is engraved with Scott's motto, "Watch Well".

The Quaich was one of a number of items stolen from Scott's Abbotsford home when it was owned by his descendants, Dame Jean and Mrs Patricia Maxwell Scott.

It was rediscovered late last year in a French antiques market by British silver expert Wynyard Wilkinson who identified it and alerted the Trustees at Abbotsford before arranging for the piece to be returned to its rightful home a few weeks ago.

The Quaich will go on show again to the public this weekend.

Scott was amongst the first British civilians to view the battlefield at Waterloo and is known to have collected trophies from the site to add to his collection of historic relics. He met Wellington and had a keen interest in Napoleon Bonaparte.

The collections at Abbotsford include a number of items owned by the French leader. Other items in Scott's collections include a clock owned by Marie Antoinette, as well as Rob Roy's broadsword, dirk sporran and gun.

Jacquie Wright, Executive Manager of The Abbotsford Trust said: "We're obviously delighted that such a historically important piece has been returned to Abbotsford and are hugely grateful to Mr Winyard for spotting the quaich, identifying its significance and making arrangements for its return.

"Scott collected a fascinating array of objects during his lifetime and we're delighted that the Waterloo Tree Quaich is back in the collection and can be seen and enjoyed by our visitors."

The Abbotsford Trust is currently trying to raise around £10 million to secure the future of Scott's Borders home. The body is currently awaiting a decision from the Heritage Lottery Fund about a grant application of over £4 million and is also consulting with the public about its proposed plans for the attraction, should the Trust's fundraising efforts be successful.