ANTIQUE SILVER SOUP TUREENS
Antique Silver soup tureens Description:
A receptacle, similar to a auce tureen, used for serving soup at the table.
Antique Silver soup tureens History:
They first came into vogue in the early 18th century. The earliest English example is from 1703 by Anthony Nelme. They were made throughout the Georgian period, all through the Victorian period and are still being made today.
Antique Silver soup tureens Design:
Styles reflected the period that they were made in. From Neoclassical boat-shaped examples from the late 18th century, through ornate Victorian examples with gothic designs, through to very Art Deco versions from the 1920s and 30s. However, they all followed the same basic design having a removable lid with handle, a round, oval or rectangular body, and all sitting on some form of foot, either a pedestal or separate feet. They were sometimes made with matching stands to protect the table and to allow sauce ladles to be rested without marking any linen. Those without stands were made with a notch in the cover to allow the ladle to be placed inside the tureen when not in use.
Antique Silver soup tureens Collectors Note:
Early examples from the Quuen Anne and George I periods are now very rare. Check that all hallmarks match including the cover, and any stand. Look closely at the junctions of handles with the body and lid, and where the feet are attached, to make sure that no repairs are evident. Check the main body for any thin spots where crests or monograms have been erased.