Antique Silver-Plated Tea and Coffee Service, 1890s, Set of 5

Details

Description

A five-piece silver-plated tea and coffee service: a coffee pot, a teapot, a covered sugar bowl, a milk jug, and … Read more A five-piece silver-plated tea and coffee service: a coffee pot, a teapot, a covered sugar bowl, a milk jug, and a large serving tray with two handles.

the set features an elegant neoclassical design inspired by the empire style. The pieces have elongated, ovoid bodies resting on four feet ending in claw feet and adorned at their base with raised palmettes. The rims are decorated with a frieze of water leaves, a motif also repeated around the edge of the tray.

the coffee pot and teapot are distinguished by their long, richly crafted spouts, ending in ram's heads, and by their large, curved handles of black wood. The hinged lids are topped with acorn-shaped finials. Floral appliqués join the handles to the bodies.

the covered sugar bowl features the same design, with two geometric side handles, while the milk jug has an elegant flared rim and a black wooden handle. The interiors of both the sugar bowl and the milk jug have a gilt finish, creating a beautiful contrast with the silver plating on the exterior.

the large oval platter, also silver-plated, is bordered with the same water leaf frieze and features two richly decorated side handles. It allows the set to be presented as a true formal dinner service.

through the symmetry of its forms, its ornamentation borrowed from antiquity, and the use of motifs such as palmettes, water leaves, claw feet, and ram's heads, this service is firmly rooted in the neoclassical decorative tradition and the 20th-century reinterpretations of the empire style.

the pieces bear various maker's and silver-plating hallmarks. A hallmark of "100" is visible on one of them, a characteristic indication of silver-plated metalwork. The maker's mark could not be definitively identified.

**dimensions and weights**

coffee pot: h. 30 cm × w. 20 cm × ø 10 cm — 907 g
teapot: h. 26 cm × w. 23 cm × ø 11 cm — 803 g
sugar bowl: h. 23 cm × w. 14 cm × ø 10 cm — 524 g
milk jug: h. 15 cm × w. 11 cm × ø 7 cm — 278 g
tray: l. 59 cm × w. 38 cm × h. 3 cm — 1.736 kg

**condition**

good vintage condition. The piece shows superficial scratches, scuff marks, and slight wear to the silver plating consistent with its age and use. These marks are visible in the photographs. See less