Not on display

Spirits Stand

ca. 1820-1830 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The spirit stand or decanter frame was a receptacle which could support from two to six decanters. Such pieces were made in a variety of styles but this particular example has a square base with rounded angles, sits on four rococo feet, and the bottles are held in openwork compartments with central handle. Each of the four square decanters are decorated with a wide band of diamond cutting and the stoppers are mushroom-shaped.

Sheffield plate originated, with the discovery in 1742, that bars of silver and copper, in unequal proportions, fused by heating under pressure, could be rolled into sheets of laminated metal and worked like silver. The industry this material created flourished for about 100 years until superseded by electroplating in the 1840s.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 9 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Spirit Stand
  • Decanter Frame
  • Decanter
  • Decanter
  • Decanter
  • Decanter
  • Stopper
  • Stopper
  • Stopper
  • Stopper
Materials and techniques
Sheffield plate
Brief description
Spirit stand, Sheffield plate, ca. 1820-1830, English
Physical description
Square with rounded angles, on four rococo feet, the bottles held in openwork compartments with central handle. Square bottles, with wide band of diamond cutting,; the stoppers are mushroom-shaped.
Dimensions
  • Height: 33.02cm
  • Width: 21.59cm
Style
Production typeMass produced
Credit line
Lt. Col. G. B. Croft-Lyons Bequest
Production
Reason For Production: Retail
Summary
The spirit stand or decanter frame was a receptacle which could support from two to six decanters. Such pieces were made in a variety of styles but this particular example has a square base with rounded angles, sits on four rococo feet, and the bottles are held in openwork compartments with central handle. Each of the four square decanters are decorated with a wide band of diamond cutting and the stoppers are mushroom-shaped.

Sheffield plate originated, with the discovery in 1742, that bars of silver and copper, in unequal proportions, fused by heating under pressure, could be rolled into sheets of laminated metal and worked like silver. The industry this material created flourished for about 100 years until superseded by electroplating in the 1840s.
Collection
Accession number
M.481-1926

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Record createdSeptember 25, 2002
Record URL
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