Antique English Victorian Silverplate Teapot

Adorned in gleaming silverplate with a dramatic silhouette, this Antique English Victorian Silverplate Teapot  is a sweet memento from the golden age of England's fine silver production. With a stylish silhouette and bold details, it bears a unique inscription which merely hints at its fascinating provenance. Recently arrived in shop from a London source, this pretty pot was created by talented silversmiths at Hirons, Plante & Bourne and inscribed as a leaving gift for a dedicated employee with them since the year of the firm's founding in 1861.

The sweet dedication reads:

Presented to 
Mrs. R. Edmunds 
by Messrs. Hirons, Plante & Bourne 
On Her Leaving Their Employ
as a token of respect for faithful services rendered 
during a period of 9 years

Founded in December 1860 with premises at 54-56 Frederick Street, Birmingham and a London Showroom at 41 Hatton Garden, Hirons, Plante & Bourne remained active until 1878 when partner Joseph Hirons retired from the firm. Silversmiths and electroplaters, like much of the industry, they relied on a substantial workforce of women in two major areas of the trade - the burnishing & polishing department as well showroom and retail hub operations. 

With an elegant rotund silhouette that provided ample surface for the exquisite engraving and decorative motif, the gleaming teapot makes a stunning impression with its well balanced spout, handle and pretty finial. At once modern and traditional, it typifies the classic teapot shape of the mid-Victorian era. Complete with applied insulators on the handle to protect the pourer's hand from the high heat of the hot tea, this thoughtful gift would have held pride of place in the Edmunds household as well as that of subsequent generations. 

The presentation of a substantial, custom silver gift reflects the status Mrs. Edmunds must have held in the firm, having been part of the Hirons, Plante and Bourne since its founding. It was most assuredly presented during a traditional Victorian "Wayzgoose" style ceremony where silversmiths, employees and firm partners Henry Hodson Plante, Joseph Hirons and Rowland Bourne gathered on the floor for a formal presentation accompanied by speeches acknowledging her faithful and zealous service. Originating in the 17th century with the printing industry as a raucous employer-sponsored celebration, over time it evolved into a more common (and genteel) term for any company hosted event, whether a day at the seaside or a holiday party, and was adopted by many industries including silver and metal smiths. 

In a time when women's labor was rarely celebrated publicly, this magnificent pot stands as a lovely testament. With its deep roots in the silver industry and provenance from a rare English manufacturer, this pot would make an especially impressive gift for a collector or storied addition to any collection. A meaningful memento given in high esteem, it is sure to grace any setting with its cheerful presence for generations to come.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. 6.5"H x 6" in diameter. 6.75" from spout to handle.