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| Tea bowl, London, 1736, Paul de Lamerie. Toby the cat is in the background. |
It's a tea bowl. Made of silver. That's right, it is a completely impractical vessel from which to drink the hot beverage it was intended for, since, as we know, silver is a brilliant conductor of heat. So I use it for port.
Here are the gorgeous hallmarks:
I found this little cup at an antiques fair, and as soon as I held it in my hand it was all over. The feel of it is just amazing. I was literally shaking. Nothing else at the fair had the same effect on me, not the beautiful gold and turquoise vintage David Webb ring, not the Asscher cut diamond bracelet, not the little impressionist beach scene. Beautiful, simple silver just does it for me. That's what I think I love best about the tea bowl: its simplicity. It is so plain and utilitarian looking that on first glance one would not know it came from the workshop of one of the finest silversmiths. But the incredible workmanship and the weight of the cup make it obvious that it is a piece of quality.
Was this tea bowl originally part of a pair, or a larger set? If so, do those others survive?
Here's one last shot of the tea bowl:
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I think these bowls were used for slops, that is to say used tea leaves, rather than as drinking vessels. Tea would have been taken at this period in small porcelain bowls. Great blog! Aeneas Ryan
ReplyDeleteHi AeneasRyan. Thanks for the comment! Interesting thought about the slops use for the bowl. It is just under 2 inches tall, and 2 3/8 inches in diameter. It looks just like the Chinese porcelain tea cups. Well-known silver dealers who had the piece before, as well as Christie's, id'd it as a tea bowl, and Michael Clayton's Dictionary of English and American Silver has a silver tea cup section. However, through the ages as customs change, original uses for silver objects can sometimes be lost. So, your comment is thought-provoking and very much appreciated!! I certainly enjoy your blog, as well.
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