Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 68, The Whiteley Galleries

Salt

1805-1806 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This salt is one of a set that represents the top end of the luxury market in terms of materials and design (see also Museum no. M.29-2005). The salts were probably made for the royal goldsmiths, Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, who were supplied by the skilled silversmiths and makers Benjamin Smith and Digby Scott. The salts would have been ordered by a wealthy client of high status.

The design is likely to be by the French artist Jean-Jacques Boileau, who was active in England from 1787 to 1851. Rundells began producing silver to his design from about 1803. The Victoria and Albert Museum owns a number of drawings attributed to Boileau and one of these, of a tureen (Museum no. 8390.12), is closely related to the salts in terms of design.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt
Brief description
Salt, silver-gilt, London hallmarks for 1805-6, mark of Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith II
Physical description
Silver-gilt circular salt (one of a pair) on three paw feet surmounted by sphinxes , raised on a tri-form base with Greek key borders and supported on ball feet. The everted rim applied with a band of anthemium, the base engraved with a crest.
Dimensions
  • Height: 9.5cm
  • Of bowl diameter: 9.6cm
  • Of base width: 9cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Mark of Benjamin Smith and Digby Scott (On base)
  • London hallmarks for 1805-6 ( K ) (On base)
  • Impressed mark 3 (On base)
  • Engraved crest (unidentified)
Credit line
Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2005
Object history
Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2005
Subjects depicted
Summary
This salt is one of a set that represents the top end of the luxury market in terms of materials and design (see also Museum no. M.29-2005). The salts were probably made for the royal goldsmiths, Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, who were supplied by the skilled silversmiths and makers Benjamin Smith and Digby Scott. The salts would have been ordered by a wealthy client of high status.

The design is likely to be by the French artist Jean-Jacques Boileau, who was active in England from 1787 to 1851. Rundells began producing silver to his design from about 1803. The Victoria and Albert Museum owns a number of drawings attributed to Boileau and one of these, of a tureen (Museum no. 8390.12), is closely related to the salts in terms of design.
Associated object
M.29-2005 (Set)
Collection
Accession number
M.30-2005

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Record createdOctober 20, 2005
Record URL
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