An extremely rare George III eGYPTIAN rEVIVAL tUREEN AND cOVER MADE IN lONDON IN 1812 BY tHOMAS rOBINSON I.
An extremely rare George III eGYPTIAN rEVIVAL tUREEN AND cOVER MADE IN lONDON IN 1812 BY tHOMAS rOBINSON I.
375347
This extremely rare Tureen has a baluster rectangular form and stands on four Sphinx legs with detailed headdress and textured paw feet, simulating the fur of a lion. The sides rise to an everted rim decorated with a border of egg and dart motifs. The reeded angular handles are decorated with leaf capping and display acanthus mouldings where they are attached to the main body. The domed cover is decorated with four tapering lobed bands and raying foliate motifs. The cover terminates in a leaf capped crossed branch handle decorated, on each side, with a Rococo shell. The main body and cover are engraved with a contemporary Crest. This piece is in excellent condition and is fully marked on the main body and with the maker's mark, date letter and sterling mark on the cover. The Tureen is of an outstanding weight, which would be expected from this maker. Thomas Robinson was apprenticed to John Robins who made outstanding Tureens. He had workshops at 13, St. John Square, when this piece was made.
This Tureen exemplifies the classical and Egyptian revivals of the early nineteenth century which followed archaeological discoveries and territorial conquests in Italy and the Nile. This piece shows the considerable influence of French taste in English silver, particularly the contrasting areas of plain silver and crisp relief ornament.
The design of this Tureen is without doubt influenced by the designs of French born J.J. Boileau, a mural painter, who came to England to assist Henry Holland in the decoration of the Prince of Wales's Carlton House. Boileau later turned his hand to silver design and his work shows a debt to the French goldsmith, Henri Auguste. Among Boileau's designs are works executed in the full blown Egyptian manner, likely encouraged by publications such as Vivant Denon's, "Voyages dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte",1802.
Boileau's drawings are now in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. This piece illustrates characteristics of his designs, these being the sphinx supports and plain lower body contrasting with bands of ornament on the cover. His designs are discussed in "J.J. Boileau, a forgotten designer of silver", Connoisseur, June, 1978.
Height: 5.25 inches, 13.13 cm.
Length, handle to handle: 8.5 inches, 21.25 cm.
Width: 5 inches, 12.5 cm.
Weight: 27oz
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![](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://marycooke.co.uk/british-silver-1760-1830/an-extremely-rare-george-iii-egyptian-revival-tureen-and-cover-made-in-london-in-1812-by-thomas-robinson-i&media=https://seek-unique-co.s3.amazonaws.com/marycooke-8876-Qfhef-OE67/stock/67dc3c2aacca1_image_url_wq58.jpg&description=This extremely rare Tureen has a baluster rectangular form and stands on four Sphinx legs with detailed headdress and textured paw feet, simulating the fur of a lion. The sides rise to an everted rim decorated with a border of egg and dart motifs. The reeded angular handles are decorated with leaf capping and display acanthus mouldings where they are attached to the main body. The domed cover is decorated with four tapering lobed bands and raying foliate motifs. The cover terminates in a leaf capped crossed branch handle decorated, on each side, with a Rococo shell. The main body and cover are engraved with a contemporary Crest. This piece is in excellent condition and is fully marked on the main body and with the maker's mark, date letter and sterling mark on the cover. The Tureen is of an outstanding weight, which would be expected from this maker. Thomas Robinson was apprenticed to John Robins who made outstanding Tureens. He had workshops at 13, St. John Square, when this piece was made.This Tureen exemplifies the classical and Egyptian revivals of the early nineteenth century which followed archaeological discoveries and territorial conquests in Italy and the Nile. This piece shows the considerable influence of French taste in English silver, particularly the contrasting areas of plain silver and crisp relief ornament.The design of this Tureen is without doubt influenced by the designs of French born J.J. Boileau, a mural painter, who came to England to assist Henry Holland in the decoration of the Prince of Wales's Carlton House. Boileau later turned his hand to silver design and his work shows a debt to the French goldsmith, Henri Auguste. Among Boileau's designs are works executed in the full blown Egyptian manner, likely encouraged by publications such as Vivant Denon's, "Voyages dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte",1802.Boileau's drawings are now in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. This piece illustrates characteristics of his designs, these being the sphinx supports and plain lower body contrasting with bands of ornament on the cover. His designs are discussed in "J.J. Boileau, a forgotten designer of silver", Connoisseur, June, 1978.Height: 5.25 inches, 13.13 cm.Length, handle to handle: 8.5 inches, 21.25 cm.Width: 5 inches, 12.5 cm.Weight: 27oz){kind=link}