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.
|
| 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) |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | August 4, 2005 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
