A pair of George II sterling silver ‘portrait’ sugar casters, London 1731/34 by Thomas Tearle

Of baluster form with circular stepped feet, the lids finely pierced panels, three of nought-cross heightened with engraving as rosettes, each populated with differing engraved portrait busts with oval cartouches, also with three panels of pierced foliate scrolls heightened by engraving, all between vertical bands of engraved tessellated lozenges, all surmounted by urn finials. The bodies engraved to both sides with an impaled coat of arms within elaborate baroque mantling of strap work, foliate scrolls baskets of flowers, a cherubs head and surmounted by an urn, all against a latticework, the obverse with a crest of three plumes issuing from a ducal coronet, within the same surround. One fully marked underneath for 1731, the other for 1734 lacking makers mark, both lids marked with lion passant, one with additional marker mark. (2)

Height – 18.5 cm / 7.4 inches

Weight – 559 grams / 17.97 ozt

The crest is that of Surtees of Redworth

The arms are for Surtees impaling Steele.

For Hauxley Surtees (1705-1753) and Elizabeth Steele (d.c.1790), the date of the marriage is not known but their son was baptised in 1734. Hauxley Surtees, of Newcastle on Tyne, a merchant adventurer was the fourth son of Edward Surtees and Jane Crosier, youngest daughter and co-heir of George Croiser esq. of Newbiggen, whom he married on 27th June 1693. His son Robert married Dorothy Steele in 1761 and inherited the family estates of Mainsforth (demolished 1962) and Greystones from his uncle George Surtees.

Portrait casters are an unusual decorative variant, examples are known of 1723 by Paul de Lamerie at Ickworth House.