Tea Urn
1805-1806 (hallmarked)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This exceptionally grand tea urn would have appealed to a very wealthy, fashion-conscious client. Its Egyptian style was also adopted for several items in the 'grand service' made for the Prince of Wales, later George IV (1762-1830). The design is attributed to the French artist Jean-Jacques Boileau, who worked in England from 1787.
By the early 19th century, the immense wealth of Britain's richest citizens enabled them to patronise the luxury trades of coach-builders, cabinet-makers and silversmiths. The Prince Regent (Later George IV) and his aristocratic contemporaries set the style of what became known as the Regency period.They were indebted to the most prestigious firm of London goldsmiths of the age, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. The company supplied silver at the forefront of fashion. Their large design studio included important artists such as John Flaxman and Jean-Jacques Boileau.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
By the early 19th century, the immense wealth of Britain's richest citizens enabled them to patronise the luxury trades of coach-builders, cabinet-makers and silversmiths. The Prince Regent (Later George IV) and his aristocratic contemporaries set the style of what became known as the Regency period.They were indebted to the most prestigious firm of London goldsmiths of the age, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. The company supplied silver at the forefront of fashion. Their large design studio included important artists such as John Flaxman and Jean-Jacques Boileau.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 6 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Raised, cast, chased and engraved silver-gilt and carved ivory |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt and carved ivory, London hallmarks for 1805-6, mark of Digby Scott and Benjamin Smith |
| Physical description | Hemispherical body on a triangular stand, the base rests on three ball feet and is ornamented with applied Egyptian motifs, palmettes and three sphinxes which support the urn, the lower section of the urn is plain below a band of a key pattern over which are applied two stylised masks, the spout is formed in the shape of a bird's head. The cover is slightly raised, the finial formed in the shape of a bud above a vine calyx. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | 9. Tea urn with sphinxes and palmettes
1805–06
This tea urn features Egyptian motifs. This type of ornament was included in a ‘grand service’ made for the Prince Regent. The design is attributed to the French artist Jean-Jacques Boileau, who worked in England from 1787.
London, England; Digby Scott (about 1763–1816) and Benjamin Smith II (1764–1823) for Rundell, Bridge & Rundell
Gilded silver and ivory
Engraved with arms of Charles, 4th Duke of Richmond and Lennox (1764–1819)
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.775:1 to 6-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Fourth Duke of Richmond and Lennox. The Phillip H. and A.S.W. Rosenbach Foundation, sale, Sotheby's, lot 48, 20/06/1974. Purchased from Garrard and Company, Ltd., London, 1976. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This exceptionally grand tea urn would have appealed to a very wealthy, fashion-conscious client. Its Egyptian style was also adopted for several items in the 'grand service' made for the Prince of Wales, later George IV (1762-1830). The design is attributed to the French artist Jean-Jacques Boileau, who worked in England from 1787. By the early 19th century, the immense wealth of Britain's richest citizens enabled them to patronise the luxury trades of coach-builders, cabinet-makers and silversmiths. The Prince Regent (Later George IV) and his aristocratic contemporaries set the style of what became known as the Regency period.They were indebted to the most prestigious firm of London goldsmiths of the age, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. The company supplied silver at the forefront of fashion. Their large design studio included important artists such as John Flaxman and Jean-Jacques Boileau. Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since. |
| Bibliographic reference | Schroder, Timothy. The Gilbert collection of gold and silver. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1988, cat. no. 90, pp. 338-41. ISBN.0875871445 |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.775:1 to 6-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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