The Hope Ewer - George IV Silver Ewer made in London in 1830 by William Elliott

The Hope Ewer.  An exceptional George IV Silver Ewer made in London in 1830 by William Elliott.

The Silver Gilt Ewer is of a tapering cylindrical form standing on a circular spreading foot.  One side is chased with Poseidon riding a chariot pulled by sea horses, the other with Amphitrite astride a seahorse, each surrounded by tritons, nereids and putti blowing trumpets and conch shells, all on a textured background.  The lower main body is also chased with detailed palmettes and scrolls.  

The neck is decorated with applied fruiting grape vines and the domed cover also displays a vine and grape finial.  The boldly reeded handle is attached to the main body with palm leaf mouldings.  The Jug is in quite excellent condition and is fully marked in the base and on the underside of the cover.  The Jug is in quite excellent, crisp, condition.

This very unusual design was a commission which was originally supplied to Thomas Hope, the celebrated Regency designer, traveller, author, philosopher and art collector, in 1828 in the form of the famous "Hope Tea Service" which was made in London in 1828 by John Bridge.  

It was also decorated with these unusual mythological, Sea God, panels, also shown on this Ewer.   Each part of the tea set was engraved with the Hope Crest of a broken Globe under a rainbow, with a cloud at each end, the Motto " At Spes non fracta" and the Arms of Hope "Azure a chevron between three bezants" impaling those of Beresford for Louisa Beresford, whom he married in 1806.  

This Ewer was made to extend this commission in 1830 by William Elliott, who would have been working in the John Bridge circle for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell.   The Hope Teaset was, until recently, in famous the Al Tajir Collection and the extract from the catalogue, "The Glory of the Goldsmith", page 204 is shown.   Thomas Hope was to die in 1831 and his wife went on to marry William, 1st Viscount Beresford in 1832.  

By this time she was one of the wealthiest women in England.  In 1834 she engaged William Elliott to make a bowl to go with this Ewer and she used both as part of her toilet service.  These two pieces were sold at Christies in 2007 and the catalogue extract is attached, being in the collection at that date of the Duke of Atholl.

We thought that this piece, with the fruiting vines,  would be wonderful in use as either a wine or water Ewer on the dining table, as well as beautifully decorative when not in use.  We know that Thomas Hope was descended from the main Scottish branch of the Hope family.

Height, to the top of the finial: 10.75 inches, 26.88 centimetres.

Diameter at the widest point: 6 inches, 15 centimetres.

Weight: 39 oz.

Price

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number