A George III sterling silver tea urn, London 1817 by William Burwash

A George III sterling silver tea urn, London 1817 by William Burwash

Of compressed circular form with baluster sides all raised of a stepped square base with four acanthus capped lion paw feet, the body half fluted, the foot with a fluted band. Twin acanthus scroll handles, a gadrooned rim inter-spaced with anthemion, the stepped domed lid with half fluted decoration surmounted by an adjustable artichoke finial with drill pierced steam outlet. The paneled spout with a cast C scroll and carved anthemion form ivory spigot. The reverse engraved with a quartered and impaled coat of arms within foliate mantling. The lid engraved with a crest of a griffin’s head wings expanded issuing from a Ducal coronet. Fully marked underneath and part-marked to lid, the spigot and steam outlet final with lion passant only. The front of the spout stamped ‘Patent’.

Height – 41.5 cm / 16.25 inches

Weight - 5068 grams / 162.94 ozt

The crest is for Cure

The arms are for Cure quartering Baker impaling Coape

For Capel Cure (1726-1810) who married Joanna Coape (1761 – 1804), his second wife, on the 11th November 1790. He purchased Blake Hall, in Bobbingworth, nr Chipping Ongar, Essex in 1780. He the second son of George Cure of the the City of London, and Joanna the daughter of John Cope of Oxton, Nottinghamshire. The funeral hatchement of Capel Cure is displayed in the Church of St Germian, Bobbingworth, Essex. Where the correct depiction of the crest is seen, where the griffin is charged upon the neck with a red rose, this has been omitted on the engraving of the present lot.

For a very similar tea urn of 1818 by Burwash, sold Bonham's, New York, 18 June 2014, Lot 1041 ($8125 incl. premium)

Another urn of 1817 by Burwash shares a similar base, spigot and handles but the compressed circular body is supported on four in-curved legs on lion paw feet, sold Christie's, New York, 20 Oct 2008, Lot 328 ($14,950 incl. prem)

An urn of similar form and decoration, of 1819 by Paul Storr, sold Christie’s New York, 27 Oct 2015, Lot 76 ($23,750 incl. premium)

Burwash registered alone first mark Aug 1802 as a case maker. In partnership with Richard Sibley 1805-1812 as plateworkers. Three marks registered alone July 1812, Aug 1812 and April 1813, at 14 Bartholomew Close.