George III 3-Piece Sterling Silver 'Bright-Cut' Oval Teaset,
Comprising Teapot 1801; Milk Jug 1801 and Sugar Basin 1807, Made in London,
Probably by George Baskerville
(s936)
A magnificent and stunningly beautiful George III Sterling
silver three piece teaset 1801/1807. This beautiful teaset is of an oval shape
with exquisite 'bright-cut' decoration and is extremely fine condition. The milk
jug and sugar basin of this set have gilded interiors, making this an extra
special and very high quality tea service.
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This teaset has been part of my own private collection of
Georgian silver and I have used it on some formal occasions. Therefore, I can
say that it is a beautiful teaset to use and has been greatly admired by my tea
time guests.
All three pieces have been made by the same maker, who I believe
is probably George Baskerville, a renowned maker of fine tea services from the
late eighteenth century, particularly of bright cut neo-classical designs, such
as this teaset. Although made by the same maker and all of exactly the same
design, the teapot and milk jug are dated 1801, whereas, the sugar basin is
dated 1807. This may just be that the teapot and jug were made at this earlier
date, but when sold, the original purchaser requested a sugar basin to go with
the set which was made about six years later. There is certainly no question
that they are all the same original set.
The teapot:
The teapot, is of an oval neo-classical design, a design in
vogue in England at the end of the eighteenth century and into the beginning of
the nineteenth century. The oval shaped body is beautifully decorated with
'bright-cut' decoration, which is in very good and crisp condition. Bands of
various bright-cut design are applied to the top portion of the body, to the
base portion and to the shoulder of the pot. These bright-cut bands include
bands of foliage, serrated boxes, line and dot patterns. This decoration is very
well executed and is very decorative on this teapot and the rest of the teaset.
On both sides of the teapot's body are floral cartouches in
'bright-cut' work.. The cartouche on the left hand side of the teapot remains
blank, the right hand cartouche is engraved with a gothic style letter 'M'. This
'M' is also applied to the cartouches of the milk jug and sugar basin on one
side. This 'M' would have been applied by the owners of the teaset and could be
contemporary to the first owners.
There is a very elegant swan-neck shaped pouring spout to the
teapot, which pours beautifully. The tip of the spout is shaped and has
'bright-cut' decoration applied around the tip. It is things like this shaping
of the tip and the additional 'bright-cut' decoration that sets this teaset
apart from other of the period. The spout is in perfect condition, so often it
is this part of the teapot which has often sustained damage - not so with this
one.
There is a low domed lid to the teapot with a discreetly cut in
box hinge. This hinge is in very good firm working order. There is 'bright-cut'
line decoration applied to the lid in concentric circles.
Surmounting the lid of the teapot is an elegant wooden oval vase
shaped finial, in fruit wood. This is secured to the lid by a silver pin and
brass winged nut on the inside of the lid. The silver finial to the lid is of a
turned inverted cup design.
There is an elegant fruit wood handle to the teapot, which
perfectly complements the elegantly formed spout of the teapot. The handle is of
an angular loop design, with a prominent scrolling thumb piece on the top edge
to aid holding the teapot when pouring tea. The handle is securely fixed into
the teapot via silver collars top and bottom. The handle is well pinned and
there is no play in the handle.
The teapot is clearly hallmarked on the underside of the base,
dating it to 1801. The full description of which is given in the marks section
below. There is also a hallmark of the Lion Passant' for sterling silver inside
the lid. It can also be observed, the scratch marks on the base where the assay
office took their silver sample prior to hallmarking the piece - a lovely
feature to see.
The Milk Jug:
The milk jug, like the teapot is of a pleasing oval shape with
angular loop shaped reeded handle. It has the same design of applied
'bright-cut' decoration to it's body as the teapot.
The high oval shaped body has the same bright-cut cartouche as
the teapot, this is applied to the front of the jug and contains the same gothic
'M' initial. All the bright-cut decoration is in very crisp condition.
The base portion of the jug has an applied reeded band for
additional strength. There is also a reeded band applied to the rim of the jug,
again giving additional strength to it.
The angular looped handle has reeded decoration applied to the
back edge.
The inside of the milk jug is gilded, indicating a very fine
quality teaset. The gilding protecting the silver form the milk, as gilding does
not tarnish in the way that silver does. It also adds an opulent richness to the
teaset. this gilding is in very good condition.
The milk jug is hallmarked clearly on the side, just under the
elegantly formed pouring lip. A full description of the hall mark is given in
the marks section below. The marks date the milk jug the same as the teapot
1801.
On the underside of the base of the milk jug are scratch marks,
the same as on the teapot, these being the silver sample taken by the assay
office prior to the piece being hallmarked to ensure that the silver was of the
correct high standard.
The Sugar Basin:
The sugar basin, like the teapot and milk jug, is of a pleasing
oval shape with angular loop shaped reeded handles at each end. It has the same
design of applied 'bright-cut' decoration to it's body as the teapot and milk
jug.
The long oval shaped body has the same bright-cut cartouches as
the teapot and milk jug, these are applied to both sides of the sugar basin and
one of them contains the same gothic 'M' initial. All the bright-cut decoration
is in very crisp condition.
The base portion of the sugar basin has an applied reeded band
for additional strength. There is also a reeded band applied to the rim of the
sugar basin, again giving additional strength to it.
The angular looped handles have reeded decoration applied to the
back edges, in the same way as does the milk jug.
The inside of the sugar basin, like the milk jug, is gilded,
indicating a very fine quality teaset. The gilding protecting the silver form
the sugar, as gilding does not tarnish in the way that silver does. It also adds
an opulent richness to the teaset. this gilding is in very good condition.
The sugar basin is hallmarked clearly on the side, just by one
of the handles at one end. A full description of the hall mark is given in the
marks section below. The marks date the sugar basin to 1807.
On the underside of the base of the sugar basin are scratch
marks, the same as on the teapot and milk jug, these being the silver sample
taken by the assay office prior to the piece being hallmarked to ensure that the
silver was of the correct high standard.
An extremely high quality George III oval 'bright cut' teaset
dated 1801/7. Probably by George Baskerville. A magnificent teaset from my own
private collection.
Size and Weight: (values are approximate)
Marks:
Teapot:
The teapot is very clearly hallmarked on its base. The marks comprise the
'Crowned Leopard's Head' London Assay Office mark; 'Lion Passant' mark for
Sterling Silver; Sovereign's Head of King George III which is the Duty
Mark; Date Letter 'F' for 1801 and the makers initials 'GB', probably the mark
of George Baskerville.
There is also a 'Lion Passant' mark for Sterling Silver stamped on the
underside of the teapots cover.
Milk Jug:
The milk jug is very clearly hallmarked on its side. The marks comprise the
'Crowned Leopard's Head' London Assay Office mark; 'Lion Passant' mark for
Sterling Silver; Sovereign's Head of King George III which is the Duty
Mark; Date Letter 'F' for 1801 and the makers initials 'GB', probably the mark
of George Baskerville. (The B' of the makers mark is only slightly visible where
the stamp was slightly miss-struck).
Sugar Basin:
The sugar basin is also very clearly hallmarked on its side. The marks
comprise the 'Crowned Leopard's Head' London Assay Office mark; 'Lion Passant'
mark for Sterling Silver; Sovereign's Head of King George III which is the
Duty Mark; Date Letter 'M' for 1807 and the makers initials 'GB', probably the
mark of George Baskerville appear to have been struck twice, the first mark
miss-struck above the other.
This truly magnificent King George III sterling silver teaset is in excellent
condition, with no major dents, scratches, no repairs or restoration. It is
remarkably fine condition and has been in my own private silver collection and
occasionally used by myself at formal afternoon teas, so I can say that it is
certainly a fine and functional set of the highest quality.
A wonderful George III Sterling Silver three piece teaset for the connoisseur
collector of eighteenth century English silver or the lover of tea wares.
