Sugar Bowl thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 120, The Wolfson Galleries

Sugar Bowl

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

Object Type
Grand and elegant sugar bowls such as this one were intended to grace either the dining room during the dessert or the drawing room, where tea and coffee would be served after dinner. These functional objects provided a chance for the host to impress guests with his or her wealth and taste. Sugar bowls could be quite large, with separate stands. They were bought singly, in pairs or up to eight at a time (the Prince Regent purchased eight sugar vases in 1811). A quantity of bowls purchased together suggest they were intended for a long dining table.

People
This sugar bowl was made by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith the Elder (died 1822), who managed a workshop for the Royal Goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell at Greenwich from about 1801 to 1807. It was ordered from the firm by Charles Sutton in 1805, the year he became Archbishop of Canterbury.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver gilt, cast, chased and engraved
Brief description
Silver, English
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.14cm
  • Width: 19.05cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Engraved with the crest of Charles Sutton, Archbishop of Canterbury; stamped 'RUNDELL BRIDGE ET RUNDELL AURIFICES REGIS ET PRINCIPIS WALLIAE FECERUNT'
  • Hallmarked for 1805-1806 ("BS and DS, Marks on rim of base, date letter 1805-6. On rim of base also: 'Rundell Bridge et Rundell Aurifices Regis et Principis Walliae Londini fecerunt'~Bishop's Coat of Arms peacock")
Gallery label
British Galleries: Rundell, Bridge & Rundell were the most prestigious and influential silversmiths of the early 19th century. They designed even quite modest pieces of domestic plate in monumental terms. This pair of sugar bowls, made for the Archbishop of Canterbury, was modelled on classical vases.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Given in memory of Alexander Allan Paton CB (1873-1934), by his sister, Mary Paton
Object history
Made by Digby Scott (born in about 1763, died in 1816) and Benjamin Smith II (born in Birmingham in 1764, died in London in 1823) for Rundell, Bridge & Rundell in London
Summary
Object Type
Grand and elegant sugar bowls such as this one were intended to grace either the dining room during the dessert or the drawing room, where tea and coffee would be served after dinner. These functional objects provided a chance for the host to impress guests with his or her wealth and taste. Sugar bowls could be quite large, with separate stands. They were bought singly, in pairs or up to eight at a time (the Prince Regent purchased eight sugar vases in 1811). A quantity of bowls purchased together suggest they were intended for a long dining table.

People
This sugar bowl was made by Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith the Elder (died 1822), who managed a workshop for the Royal Goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell at Greenwich from about 1801 to 1807. It was ordered from the firm by Charles Sutton in 1805, the year he became Archbishop of Canterbury.
Collection
Accession number
M.597-1936

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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