A George III Scottish sterling silver teapot on stand, Edinburgh 1802 by George McHattie and George Fenwick (active 1799-1807)

Of compressed circular form with everted lip upon a collet foot, the body decorated with engraved Greek key bands as well as dotted bands. The lip with dotted bands and wrigglework. The plain spout opposite a wooden scroll handle. The hinged slightly domed disc lid surmounted by a wooden spool finial. The side engraved with a coat of arms with boar supporters, surmounted by a crest of a boar statant in front of a tree, all between motto J' Espère Je Pense. The stand of circular form with cavetto edge and wriggle work rim, raised on three moulded splay feet. Field with engraved Greek key border and centred with the same coat of arms. Fully marked underneath teapot, lid unmarked, the stand fully marked underneath and with maker’s mark struck twice. (2)

Teapot length – 25 cm / 9.75 inches

Stand diameter – 12.9 cm / 5.1 inches

Gross Weight – 768 grams / 24.69 ozt

The crest, motto and arms are for Swinton

Perhaps for John Swinton of that Ilk (d.1820) who was the son of John Swinton, Lord Swinton (d. 1799) and Margret Mitchelson. He married Mary Anne Hepburn, daughter of Robert Hepburn of Clerkington and Isabella Mitchelson, on 9th July 1796 at Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland. Or for another of Lord Swinton’s children, who was brother of Archibald Swinton, 1st of Kimmerghame (1731-1804) great-great-great-great grandfather of famed contemporary actress Tilda Swinton (Katherine Matilda Swinton b. 1960)

A bookplate for Archibald Swinton (1731-1804) is illustrated in Fox-Davies, A. C., (1909), A Complete Guide to Heraldry. London: T. C. & E. C. JACK, p. 506, alongside this is his ancestor’s bookplate of 1707 for Sir John Swinton (d.1723). The arms on the present piece are those of the 1707 arms but lack the baronet’s helm, whereas Archibald Swinton has a differing coat of arms.

Andrew Milne Collection