A George III sterling silver open sauce tureen, London 1775 by Thomas Ellis (reg. before 1773)

Of baluster form upon a single cast oval foot with a gadrooned band. The reeded loop handles with splayed shell junctions leading to a gadrooned and moulded rim. Engraved to the side with initials JH in flourished cursive script. Fully marked to shoulder.

Length – 21.5 cm / 8.3 inches

Weight – 529 grams / 17.01 ozt

Thomas Ellis, a rarely encountered maker, registered a mark as a plate worker on 20th April 1780 (Grimwade 2743), working at 9 Cow Cross, Clerkenwell. He is listed as a plateworker in the 1773 Parliamentary report at Cow Cross and would have registered a mark in the lost large works register of 1758-1773.

Other examples of silver bearing Ellis’ early mark are

a wine funnel of 1772 offered Wooley & Wallis, 29 April 2014 Lot 1267,

a pair of sauceboats of 1777 sold Christie’s South Kensington, 26 June 2017, lot 49 (£1,200 incl. premium).

Andrew Milne Collection