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Coffeepot

1743-44 (marked)
Artist/Maker
Lamerie, Paul De (maker)
Place of origin
London (made)

The simple, domestic shape of the pot is transformed into a full rococo statement by the elaborate applied cartouche. Its use is not certain, as no other coffee pot by de Lamerie with a stand or lamp is known. It has been suggested that it was intended to double-up as a hot water jug for a tea service.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.


Object details

Categories
Metalwork
Tea, Coffee & Chocolate Wares
Containers
Object type
Coffeepot
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Coffee Pot
  • Lamp
  • Lamp Cover
  • Stand
Materials and techniques
Silver and wood
Silver
Wood
Chasing
Punching
Engraving (Incising)
Brief description
Silver and wood coffee-pot or hot-water pot, London hallmarks of 1743-44, mark of Paul de Lamerie
Physical description
The pear-shaped pot stands on three griffin-head feet with panels of scrolls and shells above. On the body are two large applied rococo cartouches of shells, scrolls, and flowers with putti above; both cartouches are within chased and punched matted surrounds, and each is engraved with a coat of arms. The short spout is chased with shells, scrolls, and foliage, and the upper part of the wooden handle issues from a socket molded with a lion mask and shells. The domed cover is chased with scrolls, and shells on punched matted ground and rests on three paw-, scroll-and-foliage feet with pendant floral and mask swags between. The plain lamp is engraved with a crest.
Dimensions
  • All parts together height: 35.6cm
  • Stand and lamp weight: 815g
  • Width: 20.7cm
Measured 12/01/24 IW
Marks and inscriptions
  • London hallmarks for 1743-4; the armorial shield in the rococo cartouche on the coffee pot is engraved with the coat of arms of Downing quartering Wingfield and impaling Gower quartering Leveson, here identified as representing the son of George Alexander Downing (1775- 1847) confusingly named Alexander George (1808-1907) but who took his father's name of Fullerton assumed with his great uncle's inheritance in 1794 and was known as Mr.Fullarton of Ballintoy Castle, County Antrim. He married in 1833 Lady Georgina Leveson-Gower, the daughter of Earl Granville, British ambassador to France.
  • Mark of Paul de Lamerie
  • Engraved with the arms of Downing quartering Wingfield and impaling Gower quartering Leveson, presumably for Alexander George Downing (born ca. 1778)
  • Sterling standard
Gallery label
(Gallery 71, case 2) 9. Coffee or hot water pot, stand and lamp 1743–44 This coffee pot would have been carefully placed on its stand. Heavily ornamented objects like this required deft handling. Servants were trained in such practices, although their masters often served the coffee themselves. London, England; Paul de Lamerie (1688–1751), attributed to the Maynard Master Silver and wood Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.671:1 to 4-2008(16/11/2016)
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: Probably Alexander George Downing (Fullerton). Joseph E. Widener, Lynnewood Hall, sale, Samuel T. Freeman and Company, Philadelphia, June 20, 1944, lot 55. Purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Harold G. Ramser, 1983.
Historical context
It is not known whether this pot on stand and burner was intended for coffee or hot water
Subjects depicted
Griffins
Scrolls (Motifs)
Shells
Flowers
Cartouches
Putti
Lion Masks
Paw Feet
Scroll Feet
Summary
The simple, domestic shape of the pot is transformed into a full rococo statement by the elaborate applied cartouche. Its use is not certain, as no other coffee pot by de Lamerie with a stand or lamp is known. It has been suggested that it was intended to double-up as a hot water jug for a tea service.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Bibliographic references
  • Schroder, Timothy. The Gilbert collection of gold and silver, Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1988, cat. no. 69, pp. 268-71. ISBN.0875871445
  • Commemorating the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II: an exhibition of English silver, seals and signatures of British sovereigns, San Marino: Huntington Library, 1953
  • One Hundred Years of English Silver, 1660-1760, University Art Museum, University of Texas at Austin, 1969
  • Alcorn, Ellenor, Beyond the maker's mark: Paul de Lamerie silver in the Cahn collection, Cambridge, 2006
  • Hughes, Bernard and Therle, Three centuries of English domestic silver, 1500-1820, London, 1952
Other numbers
  • SG 153
  • SG 122B - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1996.907 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.671:1 to 4-2008

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Record createdJune 26, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157962/coffeepot-lamerie-paul-de/
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