The Royal Silversmith, Thomas Heming. An exceptionally rare & unusual early George III Tankard made in London in 1762 by Thomas Heming.
The Royal Silversmith, Thomas Heming. An exceptionally rare & unusual early George III Tankard made in London in 1762 by Thomas Heming.
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The Tankard is of a large size and stands on a stepped circular foot decorated with a band of gadrooning. The main body is baluster shaped in form and is beautifully decorated with unusual spiral fluting, a form of decoration which was used in the workshops of Heming. The stepped cover has a gadrooned rim and is also decorated with the same fluted designs, as seen on the main body. The cover unusually terminates in a pretty writhen finial. The scroll handle is beautifully made and displays fine details including leaf capping, foliate details and trifurcated lobing. The Tankard displays one of the most beautiful cast and pierced scroll, cipher, thumb pieces we have seen on a tankard. This very unusual piece is in quite excellent condition and is fully marked on the base and on the edge of the cover. The quality of design and production is quite exceptional. Although Heming was an advocate of this form of decoration, it is the first time we have seen him using it on a tankard.
Thomas Heming was principal Goldsmith to the King in 1760, an appointment which he held until 1782. Some of the earliest surviving pieces in the Royal Collection show a French delicacy of taste, and refinement of execution, which was unquestionably inherited from his Master, Peter Archambo. His Masterpiece is most probably the Speaker's Wine Cistern, 1770, at Belton House, Lincolnshire.
Height: 9.25 inches, 23.13 cm.
Base Diameter: 4.5 inches, 11.25 cm.
Weight: 30oz.
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