THE CASTER, THE CENTRE-PIECE, THE SUGAR-BOWL, THE CREAM-PAIL, AND THE CAKE-BASKET

The classes referred to in this chapter embrace the most delightful of the eighteenth-century silver plate, and appeal intimately to the decorative instincts of the collector. The pieces range from the utilitarian caster capable of varied ornament, to the elaborate table centre, an object of exquisite grace and capable of rising to perfection in the hands of an accomplished craftsman. Pierced work of great delicacy was a feature of the eighteenth-century decoration. As with furniture, the silver in the middle of the century began to grow complex in its character, in keeping with the growth of luxury. The century which began with the sober furniture and homely interiors of Queen Anne, closed with the magnificence of Chippendale and the subtleties of Sheraton.

The Caster

The caster can be traced in an unbroken line as an article of table use from the end of the seventeenth century to the present day. Even with so simple an object, apparently incapable of much variation in form, it is interesting to note the successive stages of fashion and the different phases of its history.

At first it was of lesser height. The examples illustrated on pages 269 and 277 show this. The straight cylindrical form, illustrated on page 269, similar to that made by Christopher Canner, appears to have been the earliest type, and this lasted from about 1680 for a quarter of a century. There is a set of three Charles II casters of this style made by Anthony Nelme in 1684. There is also a simple form about the opening of the eighteenth century with plain round top. A fine Irish example, made by George Lyng, and marked with the Dublin hall-marks for 1699 (illustrated p. 331), shows a more ornate character not infrequent in Irish silver. The Irish silversmith was often ahead of his English contemporaries. By 1712 the Queen Anne caster was becoming taller and the body retained the band found in the straight cylindrical form. The cover offered a field for delightful and varied patterns in pierced work. There is a charm about these individual patterns which is irresistible to the collector. The cover is surmounted by a baluster knob which it retained throughout the successive changes in the body. These ornaments are delicately symmetrical, and in one instance coming under the writer’s observations the knob was a miniature of the caster it crowned. The marks on casters are placed at the top of the neck near the cover.

In 1730, at the Court of Wardens at the London Assay Office, it was laid down that the marks be struck as far distant from each other as possible, so that the series of marks could not be cut out in one piece and soldered into another piece. It had been found that it was “an antient practice among evil-disposed goldsmiths” of converting new plate into old by this means.

Variations in the body took place; sometimes the band around took an octagonal form and the concave body above and the convex body below followed this geometric form in their curve. There is an example of this type with the hall-marks for London for 1716, and the maker’s mark A. D. in shield, wrought by Charles Adam. This is among the Chester Corporation plate.

The George II sugar caster with the Exeter hall-marks for 1728, made by Richard Freeman, is unique. Its beautifully shaped body is exquisitely suited to the technique of the metal-worker. The plain band at base and the graduated foot carry out the symmetrical form, and help to give effect to the cover with its delightful pierced ornament. It will be observed that this pierced design is exactly in keeping with the reticence of the rest of the piece, and the baluster knob, almost acorn-like in form, completes a very fine piece of craftsmanship.

The progress in form from the days of George II to the end of the century is shown in the group illustrated on page 277. These casters, as will be noticed, are all circular in body, and do not include geometric forms. The George II example (1747) was the fixed type from George I to the early years of George III. A Scottish example of a sugar caster (illustrated p. 317), having the Edinburgh hall-marks for 1746, shows this established form. At the latter end of the reign of George II and in the early years of George III, from 1760, it is noticeable that the body swells in bulbous form, increasing in height from the foot. The next example (1771) shows the new top, pear-shaped; the swelling lower part of the body is still pronounced and the foot is taller, as in the cream-jugs of the period. In both these George III examples the cover is surmounted by a pine-cone knob.

The Centre-piece

The caster never attempted to be other than reticent. It was like a poor relation at the table in company with the magnificence of the centre-piece. The pierced work in subdued ornament pales before the elaboration in such a centre-piece as that illustrated on page 279, with the London hall-marks for 1761. The basket is of elaborate and graceful form, and the eight branching candlesticks mark it as a sumptuous specimen. The feet are elaborate and in rococo style. It belongs to the early years of George III, of Garrick, of Macklin, and of Foote. It was contemporary with the enormous head-dresses, the subject of so many caricatures, which followed the indecorous hoop-petticoats of the dissolute days of George II. Paste and plaster and powder raised these head ornaments to a superstructure representing chariots, and a fureur des cabriolets, related by Horace Walpole. Men had them painted on their waistcoats, and women stuck a one-horse post-chaise on the top of their elaborate head-dress, which said head-dress was not changed for some weeks. Medical men of the day speak of this in terms which we will not introduce here. Sir Joshua Reynolds had commenced to paint his immortal portraits, Handel had found congenial soil under the House of Hanover to settle here, providing satirists with subjects as to his gluttonous habits, and producing music that has become English to those who like oratorio. Thomas Chippendale had published his Director in 1754, with its wonderful designs; and Robert Adam, in 1758, had put his screen and gateway across the Admiralty in Whitehall, and was translating dull London streets into classic style. These were the nights at the “Turk’s Head” with Dr. Johnson, the supporter of the Royal House, the upholder of purity and piety in an impure and irreligious age, Burke with his flashing conversation, and Goldsmith and David Garrick, and a circle of men who counted for more than the macaronis and the fops of Pall Mall and St. James’s Street. Wealth was pouring into the country from India, and with it came rapidly acquired habits of luxury—habits that quickly reflected themselves in the furniture and domestic appurtenances. This silver centre-piece of 1761, therefore, tells the story of these days of the eighteenth century, “remarkable for the great industrial revolution, which gradually transformed England from an agricultural to a manufacturing country, depending for food supplies on foreign countries.”

A second examination of the silver centre-piece, 1761, with the above notes in view, at once discloses its character—out of France and of Italy, with here a touch and there a touch from continental styles. If trivial toys such as the pantin, a pasteboard figure on strings, could take the town by storm, the craftsman in metal, with fashions streaming from over the Channel, could not and did not hold aloof. Traditional features linger or become rejuvenated, such as the sconces of the candlesticks which revert to the leaflike form of those of Charles II. The basket with interlaced work stands parallel with the similar work in porcelain from the Meissen factory with raised flowers at each intersection, just as in this silver centre-piece, and the old Saxon factory made this type of vase and basket as early as 1740 in the “Krinolinengrappen” period. But the feet might have come straight out of Chippendale’s Director, with their curves and shoulders and peculiar style. If Chippendale borrowed wisely from the cabinet-maker of France, the English silversmiths, many with French blood in their veins, found in French design something too alluring to ignore.

Take another centre-piece, about 1775 in date (illustrated p. 279). Here are features equally interesting. The rococo form has become subdued. There are still branching curves, and plain baskets with interlaced work take the place of the floriated style candle-holders. The festoons with medallions indicate the classic style then in vogue. In this centre-piece the classic style is seen in combination with, almost in opposition to, the moribund rococo style. These may be compared with an earlier Irish centre-piece, 1740 in date (illustrated p. 335).

The Sugar-bowl

In the specimen illustrated (p. 283) the classic style is seen at its best. The body is decorated with festoons, rosettes, and the rim and foot have a plain bead ornament. The handles are snakes with the head terminating at the rim of the bowl. It suggests that it might be a bowl of Æsculapius rather than a homely sugar-bowl. Pompeii and Rome, translated through the brain of Sir William Hamilton, the Brothers Adam, and the metal-worker of the Louis Seize period, have each contributed to this composite style. It is not of the purity of form of silver vessels found in the tombs. It merely borrows ornament from classic originals; it is like Sir Bulwer Lytton’s translation of Horace, rather more Sir Bulwer than Horatius Flaccus. In date this is 1773 and was made by S. and J. Crespell. It belongs to the same period as the Sheffield silver candlestick illustrated on page 235.

There is another sugar-bowl (illustrated p. 285), with the London hall-marks for 1786, showing the style Louis Seize À l’Anglaise which came into English cabinet design after 1793, when Sheraton published his book of designs. This is an exceptionally dainty piece of work. The classic influence is still to be observed, but changed into something more sprightly, savouring of the boudoir of Marie Antoinette, and the metal-work on tables and lock escutcheons in the Petit Trianon. It is especially a silversmith’s piece. It is a beautiful metal framework for a blue glass liner.

The Cream-pail

Taller vessels with a handle are usually termed cream-pails, though some collectors believe they were used for sugar. As they are of cut work they must have been used with a glass liner. They present some beautiful forms still clinging to classic ornamentation in combination with whatever new forms the craftsman could invent in conjunction with a severe style. The two illustrated (p. 285) show slightly differing intentions. The first on the right, with the London hall-marks for 1776, with its undulating top is in keeping with the wavy rims of the salt cellars of the same period, of French influence. The festoon of drapery with rosettes is in classic style and the foot and lower body has the traditional acanthus-leaf decoration. The handle and broad cut pattern ornamenting the body may be compared with the Irish example (illustrated p. 343), made in 1770.

The other example on the same page (p. 285) is in date 1782, the year when, after three years’ siege of Gibraltar, the French and Spanish made a supreme effort by sea and land to win the key of the Mediterranean, but were beaten with heavy loss by General Eliot. The festoons and the vase in panel are now in incised decoration and are subservient. The style begins to break away from traditional severities and establish something original and as reticent as the classical forms without being so coldly formal and unnational.

The Bread-basket

The last half of the eighteenth century saw the growth and development of pierced sheet silver with its varied styles, and concomitant with the sheet work there are examples exhibiting a fine perfection in wire work. Pierced bread- or cake-baskets with cable band are features of this period. The pierced mustard-pot, decanter stand, and other similar articles were common. Oval pierced baskets were introduced, with handles, in the reign of George II (1727-60). Originally they were possibly for bread only. Some collectors determine this by the pattern on some of them of wheat-ears (see example illustrated p. 289). By the time of George III they were elaborately pierced and chased and massive, and had feet. In other examples about the middle of the century they had no feet, and were more basket-like in form. There was an example in the Dunn-Gardner collection of a bread-basket in imitation of wicker basket-work. This bears the London hall-marks for the year 1733 and the maker’s initials P. L., a crown and star above, and a fleur-de-lis below, for Paul de Lamerie, the maker.

The page of four examples (p. 289) illustrates the types prevalent from 1745 to 1775. The top left-hand specimen is of wire work ornamented by wheat-ears.

A plain cake-basket with the London mark for 1761, the first year of the reign of George III, is illustrated (p. 291); the maker is Edward Romer. Below this is shown a contemporary Wedgwood cream-ware basket in imitation of wicker-ware. Here the technique of the silversmith and the potter may be compared.

The Eighteenth-century Potter

In connexion with pierced and interlaced work the potter did attempt to run side by side with the worker in silver plate. The two Wedgwood pieces (illustrated p. 295) show this parallel. The upper one is a chestnut basket and cover. While adhering in a measure to the strict technique of the worker in clay—and here be it said it comes near to the fine reticulated work of some of the highest Chinese porcelain—it, at the same time, approaches the contemporary refinements in perforated sheet metal executed by the silversmith.

The lower example is even more remarkable; it is a Wedgwood cream-ware fruit-basket and cover. This centre-piece, though not emulating the grandiose proportions and elaborate branches of the silver centre-pieces such as we have seen, accomplishes what was apparently impossible, the manipulation of plastic clay as though it were silver wire. The result is delightful and surprising. In regard to the elaboration of this cut-and-drawn work, the Leeds potters who followed Josiah Wedgwood’s style produced tall centre-pieces in cream-ware with branches having baskets and trays. It is an undoubted proof that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

SALE PRICES

CASTERS.

SUGAR-BOWLS.

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