Object Type
Large tureens for serving soups and stews during the first and second courses of dinner were adopted by the British in the early 18th century, following the lead of the French Court. Although William III travelled with a 'soupe dish' before 1700, the earliest reference to a 'toureene' in England can be found in the silver issued to Henri de Massue de Revigny, Earl of Galway (1648-1720), as Britain's Ambassador to Portugal in 1708. Sets of tureens were of primary importance on the grandest dining tables of the 18th century, and a complete dinner service would include two pairs to be placed at either end of the table and two flanking the centrepiece. In France tureens were supplied with stands, but this was not often the case in Britain. They were expensive items which added to the theatrical display of the dinner table. John, 3rd Earl Waldegrave (died 1784), ordered a 'terrine and cover' from the goldsmiths Parker & Waklin in 1770 which cost £54 19s 6d.

People
This tureen and stand were made by the royal goldsmith Thomas Heming (1723-1801), who supplied ceremonial silver for the coronation of George III in 1760.

Design
This tureen and stand shows French stylistic influence in its proportions and in the sophisticated use of Neo-classical ornament, common to much of Thomas Heming's silver. He served his apprenticeship with the London Huguenot silversmith Peter Archambo (died 1767), and is known to have used published design sources from France.