Victorian Silverplate 1879 Cunard Tea Pot

Cunard Line. The very name conjures up images of the glamorous days of steamship travel. Founded in 1839 by Samuel Cunard, a war veteran and timber merchant from Halifax, Nova Scotia, the company was established primarily to carry the Royal Mail to and from Canada and the United States. 

Since its beginning, Cunard has operated the most famous oceanliners in the world and during the peaceful years before the first World War, the company was the dominant player in the prestigious transatlantic service.  While Charles Dickens famously accompanied the Brittania on its maiden transatlantic voyage in 1840, the first Royal to travel on board a Cunard ship was Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria’s second son, in 1861 when he traveled on SS Arabia.

From 1879, we are pleased to have found this exceptional Antique Silverplate Cunard Tea Pot. This stunning vessel showcases the ornamental, yet graceful refinement of the mid Victorian era. With a prominent, ornamental handle and graceful wide body to create a strong point of gravity atop a service table on board, this sophisticated serving piece with its smart finial was produced by the expert artisans at Birmingham England's Elkington & Co.

The regal silhouette of this stunning pot makes an ideal background to appreciate the placement and scale of the sculptural spout and sleek body. At center a prominent side stamp engraving depicts an early incarnation of the Cunard regal rampant lion and crown, while a delicate rope border encircling the petite pedestal base adds dimension and magnificent charm to this majestic piece. A plethora of maker markings adorn the underside of this elegant and timeless pot, including a date stamp for 1879.

Sure to have logged an impressive number of nautical miles with a storied provenance that continues to resonate across the centuries, this gleaming memento used in the earliest days of Cunard's transatlantic passenger service promises to infuse your collection with its impressive legacy and stature. 

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In very good antique condition. 5.5"H x 9" at widest point.