Silver Soup Tureen With Lid And Stand, Augsburg, 1801

All removable elements bear the silversmith’s initials as well as the hallmark of the city of Augsburg, depicting a pine cone, or “Pyr,” accompanied by the letter “M”—the design used in 1801.

Hammered, repoussé, chiseled, and cast silver, partially gilded, with a fineness of 13 loth.

Weight: 3,429 g

The set consists of a soup tureen with two handles resting on a circular base, its removable lid, and a display stand.

The soup tureen rests on a circular, flared, and domed base, bordered by a smooth plinth. The molded base is adorned in its lower section with a wide frieze of ogival arcades enclosing stylized acanthus leaves. Above this frieze, the side of the base tapers and is smooth. The bowl, hemispherical and plain, is fitted with two S-shaped handles, decorated with moldings and stylized leaves. Near the rim, it is adorned with a wide frieze of sinuous foliage composed of elongated leaves, small flowers, and tiny fruits. A thick, smooth molding crowns the bowl and serves as a support for the lid. The interior is gilded.

The lid, which is circular, smooth, and molded, is strongly domed in the center and decorated with a repoussé rosette of laurel and acanthus leaves. It is topped by a fully carved handle in the shape of a strawberry surrounded by leaves, resting on a cap adorned with cascading, curved ribbons. The interior of the lid is gilded.

The soup tureen stands on an imposing circular display stand, featuring a smooth, molded base resting on four pilaster-shaped legs. The curved side of the display stand is divided into three sections. The lower section is decorated with a frieze of palmettes. Above this is a molded step and a smooth central section. The third section consists of a wide frieze similar to that of the bowl. The upper section, separated by a stepped projection, is flat and smooth, with a hollow circular recess in the center designed to hold the foot of the soup tureen.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Rosenberg, M., Der Goldschmiede Merkzeichen, vol. 1: Deutschland A–C, Frankfurt am Main, 1922, pp. 33, 239.