An early George III sterling silver soup tureen, London 1764 by John Henry Vere and William Lutwyche

Of bombe oval form with a gadrooned undulating rim, all upon four asymmetrical scroll feet with asymmetrical amorphous junctions. The twin handles formed as loops with central shells with shaped scroll cartouche junctions. The pull off lid of conforming domed form with a gadrooned edge embossed with splayed shells and stylised acanthus leaf motifs, all surmounted by a handle modelled as a laurel branch with leafy sprigs. Engraved to the side with a quartered coat of arms with another on an escutcheon of pretence within an asymmetrical rocaille C scroll cartouche flanked by foliage. The lid engraved with a crest of, probably, a monkey passant, banded round the middle. Engraved with a scratch weight underneath of 112=5=0. Fully marked underneath and to lid bezel.

Length – 43.5 cm / 17 inches

Weight – 2956 grams / 95.04 ozt

The crest is for Berners

The arms are for Berners quartering another with another on an escutcheon of pretence

The arms, which have later been re-engraved and seemingly altered may be for William Berners (1707-1783) of Woolverstone Hall, Ipswich, Suffolk. He married Mary Bendysh (1719-1783) on the 29^th June 1732, she the co-heir of Henry Bendysh and Martha Shute.