Egg Cup Stand
ca. 1785 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Eggcup sets or egg cruets were an 18th-century innovation. They were one of a number of specialised articles that evolved because of the 18th-century preoccupation with elegant and refined dining. The earliest recorded eggcup frame dates from 1740.
Design & Designing
The salt cellar, in the centre of the stand, is in the form of an oval basket with a swing handle. Originally it would have had a glass liner to protect the silver from the corrosive effects of the salt. It is in the Neo-classical style, as is the pierced and chased decoration on the egg cups. The stand also has hooks for six egg spoons (which are missing). Manufacturers of egg cruets took advantage of improvements in the making of fused plate wire, creating a sturdy frame almost entirely from delicate wire soldered together.
Materials & Making
This egg stand with a salt cellar incorporated is made of Sheffield plate, which was discovered around 1742 by Thomas Boulsover (1704-1788), a Sheffield cutler. Boulsover discovered that, when fused together in unequal amounts, copper and silver expanded at the same rate. The introduction of Sheffield plate revolutionised the plating industry. It offered an effective, relatively cheap and supremely versatile and durable plating technique, which could imitate the surface appearance of solid silver convincingly.
Eggcup sets or egg cruets were an 18th-century innovation. They were one of a number of specialised articles that evolved because of the 18th-century preoccupation with elegant and refined dining. The earliest recorded eggcup frame dates from 1740.
Design & Designing
The salt cellar, in the centre of the stand, is in the form of an oval basket with a swing handle. Originally it would have had a glass liner to protect the silver from the corrosive effects of the salt. It is in the Neo-classical style, as is the pierced and chased decoration on the egg cups. The stand also has hooks for six egg spoons (which are missing). Manufacturers of egg cruets took advantage of improvements in the making of fused plate wire, creating a sturdy frame almost entirely from delicate wire soldered together.
Materials & Making
This egg stand with a salt cellar incorporated is made of Sheffield plate, which was discovered around 1742 by Thomas Boulsover (1704-1788), a Sheffield cutler. Boulsover discovered that, when fused together in unequal amounts, copper and silver expanded at the same rate. The introduction of Sheffield plate revolutionised the plating industry. It offered an effective, relatively cheap and supremely versatile and durable plating technique, which could imitate the surface appearance of solid silver convincingly.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 7 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Sheffield plate (copper plated with silver), pierced and chased |
| Brief description | Egg stand with built-in salt cellar |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by H. B. Hudson |
| Object history | Made in Sheffield |
| Summary | Object Type Eggcup sets or egg cruets were an 18th-century innovation. They were one of a number of specialised articles that evolved because of the 18th-century preoccupation with elegant and refined dining. The earliest recorded eggcup frame dates from 1740. Design & Designing The salt cellar, in the centre of the stand, is in the form of an oval basket with a swing handle. Originally it would have had a glass liner to protect the silver from the corrosive effects of the salt. It is in the Neo-classical style, as is the pierced and chased decoration on the egg cups. The stand also has hooks for six egg spoons (which are missing). Manufacturers of egg cruets took advantage of improvements in the making of fused plate wire, creating a sturdy frame almost entirely from delicate wire soldered together. Materials & Making This egg stand with a salt cellar incorporated is made of Sheffield plate, which was discovered around 1742 by Thomas Boulsover (1704-1788), a Sheffield cutler. Boulsover discovered that, when fused together in unequal amounts, copper and silver expanded at the same rate. The introduction of Sheffield plate revolutionised the plating industry. It offered an effective, relatively cheap and supremely versatile and durable plating technique, which could imitate the surface appearance of solid silver convincingly. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.306-1920 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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