Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 65, The Whiteley Galleries

Salt

1726-1727 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A pair of salt cellars, of circular form on short stem and spreading foot, with gilded interiors, for setting in front of each guest on the dinner table. They bear the maker's mark of Anne Tanqueray, daughter and wife of Huguenot goldsmiths, who registered her maker's marks after the death of her husband David Tanqueray. London, 1726-1728


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver with gilt interior
Brief description
A circular silver salt cellar, gilded inside, on short stem with spreading moulded foot
Physical description
One of a pair of circular silver salt cellars, the bowl gilt inside and decorated with a band of foliage in relief, resting on a short stem, with spreading moulded foot. Engraved with two armorial crests.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4.75cm
  • Length: 8.75cm
  • Weight: 186.1g
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • two armorial crests (Not identified)
  • Town mark: London
  • 6 oz 13 dwt (scratch weight)
    Translation
    6 ounces 13 penny weights
Gallery label
  • Salts PAIR, SILVER_GILT, ANNE TANQUERAY, LONDON, 1726 The circular cup-shaped salt, more graceful than the typical English trencher salt, was introduced by the Huguenot goldsmiths. They were frequently gilded inside to protect the silver from the chemical reaction caused by the salt. Anne Tanqueray was the daughter of the goldsmith David Willaume and married in 1717 another Huguenot goldsmith, David Tanqueray. She carried on her husband's business after his death.(1985)
Credit line
Given by Major A.J.Carter D.S.O. and his wife
Object history
Bequest - Mrs Aubrey Carter (Widow of Major Carter)
Acquisition RF: 27 / 3603
Exhibitions: The Quiet Conquest , Museum of London, May - November, 1985, Cat No. 341 pp.236

Anne Tanqueray was the elder daughter and first child of the Huguenot refugee goldsmith David Willaume I. She was baptized in ‘Sohaut’ 14 July 1691. She married her father's apprentice David Tanqueray in 1717, although he only obtained his freedom in 1722. On her husband’s death she entered two marks (Sterling and New Standard) which were struck alongside his own in the original entry 1713; his name was struck through and her name written above. This is the only occurrence of this alteration to an entry that appears to have happened. The usual practice was for a widow to be given a new entry in the correct chronological position in the register. The date of David’s death is not yet known, but Anne’s second son Thomas was not born until September 1724, so he couldn’t have died before January of that year.
Anne Tanqueray was buried at Tingrith, Bedfordshire, 25 July 1733. Her will was proved 21 November 1733.
Historical context
The word cellar is a corruption of the French word saliere, a salt holder. Small salts are often called trencher salts and were intended to be placed close to each setting or 'trencher', one for each guest.
Subject depicted
Summary
A pair of salt cellars, of circular form on short stem and spreading foot, with gilded interiors, for setting in front of each guest on the dinner table. They bear the maker's mark of Anne Tanqueray, daughter and wife of Huguenot goldsmiths, who registered her maker's marks after the death of her husband David Tanqueray. London, 1726-1728
Associated object
Bibliographic reference
Hayward, J F., Huguenot Silver, 1959 Grimwade, A., London Goldsmiths 1697-1837, 1982, pp. 676-677
Collection
Accession number
M.414-1927

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Record createdSeptember 10, 2004
Record URL
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