25th Nov, 2014 10:00
Silver and Jewellery
197
An extremely rare George II Scottish silver coffee pot and salver en suite
by William Aytoun, assay master Archibald Ure, Edinburgh 1736,
the coffee pot of tapering cylindrical form on moulded circular foot, with wooden scroll handle, the domed older examples to the goldsmith for melting down and refashioning.
Another reason for their scarcity might be the use of the Scottish silver coffee urn which seems to be unique to Edinburgh. The sixteen remaining examples dating from 1719 to 1740 share the same basic ovoid design with mythical loop handles. Contemporary ledgers describe them as coffee pots, but their excessive weights indicate that they were urns and not the standard pots weighing between 25 and 35oz.
William Aytoun appears to have specialised in making tea and coffee wares. He is considered one of the leading goldsmiths of the ‘Golden Age of Scottish Silver’ between 1735 and 1745. cover with ball finial, engraved with coat of arms with motto 'Nil Temere' above, with scratch weight 26=8 to base,
23.5 cm high, 26.5oz,
the salver of shaped circular form with moulded rim resting on four hoof feet, engraved with crest and motto above, with scratch weight 14=6,
23.5cm diameter, 13oz
The coffee pot bears the arms of Argent on a chevron sable with an otter's head erased and the crest of a mermaid proper holding in her dexter hand an otter's head erased sable, in her sinister a swan's head also erased proper.
These arms, crest and motto are those of Balfour. Arthur Balfour was the grandson of the third Baron Balfour of Burleigh. Arthur's father, John, the second son of the third Baron, was attainted in 1716 for his part as a lieutenant colonel in the Jacobite rebellion. As a result, his estate at Fernie in Scotland was taken from him. Arthur was his only son and in 1720 had the Fernie estate restored to him.
The arms of Balfour are impaled by those of Sandford: per chevron azure and ermine in chief two boars' heads. On 21st February 1736, Arthur married Dorothy Sandford. The coffee pot and salver are hallmarked for 1736, tying in perfectly with the date of the marriage. Arthur married again shortly after to Janet Paterson on 31st July 1740, before his death in February 1746.
Scottish silver coffee pots dating before 1760 are extremely rare. In an article written by Commander G E P How on Scottish Silver in 1941, he noted that he had not seen more than six made before 1760.
The earliest surviving Scottish coffee pot was made by Colin McKenzie in 1713/14 with a hot milk jug en suite. These were made for Lady Grisell who asked for three extra handles to be made at the same time. Coffee pots were certainly made before this date, but none seem to have survived, possibly for the same reason as early Scottish teapots. The wealthy owners wanting to keep abreast of the latest fashion would have given
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Sold for £6,000
Condition Report
Salver: has surface scratches; solder repair to indent on one 'petal'; small spots of dark tarnish; some wear to marks, still legible though; expected wear; small small flows integral to silver.
Coffee pot: the spout has two patches fitted to one side of the spout which are old restorations; expected surface scratches and small knocks; see images.
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Auction: Silver and Jewellery, 25th Nov, 2014
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25NOV14 - STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET - BAND
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