Victorian Sterling Silver Four-Piece Tea and Coffee Service

This exceptional antique Victorian four-piece sterling silver tea and coffee service consists of a coffee pot, teapot, sugar bowl and cream jug.

Each piece has a pear shaped form onto a circular spreading foot.

The pieces of this Victorian tea and coffee set are embellished with embossed panels in a swirl design, accented with bright cut engraved segmented quatrefoil leaf motifs on a textured background.

One side of each piece incorporates a circular cartouche displaying the engraved initial ‘B’.

The upper rims are encompassed with plain applied moulded borders.

The teapot and coffee pot are fitted with domed hinged hallmarked covers reflecting the identical decoration as that to the body.

Each cover retains the original hallmarked cast sterling silver finial embellished with scrolling leaf ornamentation.

The components of this antique silver tea set are fitted with impressive hallmarked, cast sterling silver S-shaped handles featuring leaf decorated thumbpieces, in addition to interlacing designs to the lower portion of the handpiece.

The cast upper sockets of each handle are ornamented with organic leaf designs in junction with the body.

The coffee pot and teapot are fitted with impressive swan necked spouts each embellished with further embossed and bright cut engraved decoration, accented with an applied scrolling design to the lip.

Each piece of this exceptional service features a circular foot accented with further embossed swirl decoration.

The cream jug and sugar bowl retain the original gilded interior.

This exceptional Victorian service, crafted by the renowned London silversmith Robert Hennell III, is an unusual and highly desirable design.

Condition
This antique four-piece sterling silver tea and coffee service is an exceptional gauge of silver, exceptional quality and in exceptional condition.
The cast ornamentation is very sharp and the engraved ornamentation is all very crisp.
Full hallmarks struck to the underside of each piece, in addition to part hallmarks to the teapot and coffee pot handles and covers, are all very clear.

Reflections in photographs may detract from the true representation of these examples of Victorian silverware.

Dimensions
Coffee pot
Length from back of handle to tip of spout 22.7cm/8.9″
Width 13.2cm/5.2″
Height 29.8cm/11.7″

Teapot
Length from back of handle to tip of spout 23.7cm/9.3″
Width 14.2cm/5.6″
Height 23.1cm/9.1″

Sugar basket
Length across handles 19.2cm/7.6″
Width 12.8cm/5″
Height 15.1cm/5.9″

Cream jug
Length from back of handle to tip of lip 11cm/4.3″
Width 8.4cm/3.3″
Height 16.7cm/6.6″

Total weight
74.5 troy ounces/2319g

Maker: Robert Hennell III
Date: 1863
Origin: London, England.