Boulton & Fothergill. An extremely rare pair of cast George III Neo Classical Salt/Spice Dishes made in Birmingham in 1777 by Matthew Boulton & John Fothergill.
Boulton & Fothergill. An extremely rare pair of cast George III Neo Classical Salt/Spice Dishes made in Birmingham in 1777 by Matthew Boulton & John Fothergill.
375170
The Dishes are oval in form and stand on four claw feet. Both have beautiful reed and tie rims and loop handles, which are attached to the main body with acanthus leaf mouldings. The base of the Dishes are most unusually decorated with acanthus spears centred by a quatre-foil. The interiors display original gilding and one side of the main body is engraved with a contemporary shield shaped Armorial flanked by a crossed branch cartouche. The other side is engraved with a mirror cipher below the Coronet of a Viscount. The Arms are those of Callaghan of Ireland, impaling Ponsonby, as used by the Earls of Bessborough. The cipher, below the Viscount’s Coronet, are most probably those of the giver of the Salt Dishes.
The quality and design of these items is exceptional, as would be expected from these silversmiths. We have not seen this design before and it may well have been a special commission. The work of Boulton & Fothergill is particularly rare and highly desirable today. As you will appreciate, these are beautiful decorative pieces, when not in use on the table. Due to their importance, they are illustrated on page 53 of “Investing in Silver” by Eric Delieb.
Length: 4.9 inches,
Width: 2.8 inches.
Height: 2.5 inches.
Weight: 9oz, the pair.
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