An exceptionally fine & unusual george ii cast sweetmeat basket made in london in 1758 by william plummer
An exceptionally fine & unusual george ii cast sweetmeat basket made in london in 1758 by william plummer
374984
The basket is cast and stands on an openwork base decorated with scrolls and raying flower heads, together with four unusual stylised lyre feet. The deep bowl is decorated with swirl fluting and is pierced with panels of pluming scrolls and crosses. The rim is decorated with cast and pierced scrolls, shells and raying flower heads. The hinged, arched, swing handle very unusually displays finely detailed serpents at each end coiled around the handle. The top also displays the same flowers and scrolls which are seen on the rim. The basket is in exceptional, crisp, condition. William Plummer was a very fine silversmith who had a long career and specialised in pierced silver, especially baskets. These smaller baskets are not common and would have been used on the table to serve sweetmeats, which were sweet confections such as nuts covered in sugar. The basket is very well marked near the rim.
Length: 4 inches,10cm.
Width: 5 inches, 12.5 cm.
Height, to the rim: 2.1 inches, 5.25 cm.
Height, to the top of the handle: 5 inches, 12.5 cm.
Weight: 11oz.
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