This exceptional antique Scottish sterling silver tea service consists of a teapot, cream jug and sugar bowl.
Each piece has a circular compressed form on to a circular spreading foot.
The body of each piece is embellished with chased floral and foliate designs accented with scrolling borders and perched birds, all on a matte background.
The ornamentation to each piece incorporates panels of scale motif patterns in addition to a shaped cartouche to either side; one cartouche remains vacant, the other bears the contemporary bright cut engraved crest* of a heart ensigned with an imperial crown between two wings, above the motto 'Forward'.
The teapot is fitted with a domed hinged hallmarked cover ornamented with further chased floral and fruiting decoration, surmounted with an exceptional cast sterling silver finial realistically modelled in the form of a stemmed flower accented with foliage.
The teapot is fitted with a plain sterling silver C shaped handle featuring a cast figural thumbpiece.
The cream jug and sugar bowl have cast and applied opposing scroll handles accented with further figural and scrolling leaf decorated thumbpieces emanating down the handpieces.
The cast sterling silver swan necked spout of the teapot is ornamented with a large floral arrangement from the body, accented with a scrolling leaf design to the lip.
The cream jug and sugar bowl retain the original gilded interiors.
Each piece is supported by a circular domed foot, ornamented with further cast floral and foliate decoration.
This exceptional Scottish sterling silver tea set is the finest of its type you could hope to acquire
* This crest pertains to the Marquess of Queensberry, with whom Sir William Douglas claimed kinship; Castle Douglas was created a Burgh of Barony in 1791 and the coat of arms incorporating the aforementioned heraldic markings was officially granted in 1929.
Learn more about silver tea service history
