On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Centrepiece

1855 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This silver centrepiece is engraved with the name of its manufacturing company, P. Orr & Sons. The Madras firm was one of the leading companies founded by British owners in India. By 1903, Sir George Watt noted that they had "upwards of 600 artizans" in the Madras factory, and that they were "reputed to be the largest and best appointed establishment of the kind in India", producing jewellery, gold and silver wards, and scientific instruments. The centrepiece was acquired by the Indian Museum and transferred to the South Kensington Museum in 1879.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Cover
  • Stand
  • Cup
Materials and techniques
Chased silver
Brief description
Centrepiece, silver, in three parts. P. Orr and Sons, Madras, 1855.
Physical description
Chased silver cup and cover with stand, with scroll and flower border
Marks and inscriptions
Manufactured by P.Orr & Co. Madras 1855 (engraved on front of cup) ORR (stamped on the back)
Object history
Acquired by the Indian Museum in 1855.

Historical significance: The firm of P. Orr & Sons in Madras was one of the leading companies founded by British owners in India. By 1903, Sir George Watt noted that they had "upwards of 600 artizans" in the Madras factory, and that they were "reputed to be the largest and best appointed establishment of the kind in India", producing jewellery, gold and silver wards, and scientific instruments.
Historical context
Anne Eatwell notes the similarity of the upper section to 'A very richly chased silver Vase or Soup Tureen, with Cover, tastefully shaped, with scroll and flower border [etc] reproduced as a second hand piece in A.B. Savory & Sons' illustrated price list of 1st May 1855. She notes that it was probably made by Edward Barnard & Son for Rundell and Bridge, ca. 1820s - 1830s: the engraving is reproduced in John Culme's Nineteenth Century Silver, Country Life, 1977, p. 162.
Summary
This silver centrepiece is engraved with the name of its manufacturing company, P. Orr & Sons. The Madras firm was one of the leading companies founded by British owners in India. By 1903, Sir George Watt noted that they had "upwards of 600 artizans" in the Madras factory, and that they were "reputed to be the largest and best appointed establishment of the kind in India", producing jewellery, gold and silver wards, and scientific instruments. The centrepiece was acquired by the Indian Museum and transferred to the South Kensington Museum in 1879.
Bibliographic reference
Wynyard R.T. Wilkinson, The Makers of Indian Colonial Silver, published by WRT Wilkinson, 1987, p. 144.
Collection
Accession number
02616 (IS)

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Record createdAugust 4, 2005
Record URL
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