Kettle, stand, and burner

Status

Not on view

Date1753-1754

Geography Made - England

Medium/TechniqueSilver

DimensionsOverall (Stand): 5 in. × 8 in. × 8 in. (12.7 cm × 20.32 cm × 20.32 cm) Overall (Kettle, handle down): 8 in. × 10 1/2 in. × 7 1/2 in. (20.32 cm × 26.67 cm × 19.05 cm) Overall (Kettle, handle up): 11 in. × 10 1/2 in. × 7 in. (27.94 cm × 26.67 cm × 17.78 cm) Overall (Kettle on stand, handle up): 16 in. × 10 1/2 in. × 8 in. (40.64 cm × 26.67 cm × 20.32 cm) Overall (Kettle on stand, handle down): 12 1/2 in. × 10 1/2 in. × 8 in. (31.75 cm × 26.67 cm × 20.32 cm)

Credit LineGift of James C. and Virginia W. Meade, 2020

Object numberH-5836

DescriptionThe inverted pear-shaped body is raised and has an applied lip molding and foot ring. The body is heavily chased in repousse with flowers, scrolls, and shells on a diapered background. The curved spout, with a cartouche formed by scrolls containing the face of a bearded man wearing robes and a Chinese hat, oyster shells, flowers, and a chased acanthus leaf at its tip, is cast in two halves. Two cast panels of leaves with bosses are soldered beside the lip opening the kettle body. To each is applied a circular hinge attached to a cast scrolled handle support with a dog mask at its center and an acanthus leaf at its top and bottom. The grip is wrapped with woven rattan. The domed circular cover is raised with an applied lip molding and chased with flowers, a diapered background, and a ruffled lip. The cast and chased finial of leaves and vines is secured to the lid with a nut. The lid is hinged to the lip of the body by a five-part hinge.

The rim of the stand is cast in three parts: an upper molding, a bezel, and a wide band of leaves, scrolls, pierced ruffling, and shells. Three scrolled legs with dog masks at the knees are cast in identical halves and soldered to the cast rim and to the seamed molding that forms the lamp ring. The shell feet are cast and soldered to the legs. A cast scroll-and-shell festoon is applied between each leg. The hemispherical lamp is composed of a raised lower portion with applied midband and incurved neck with applied neck molding. The removable circular lamp cover has an applied bezel and a central wick cylinder.

Published ReferencesAdam T. Erby, “”Mostly new, and very elegant”: The Several Lives of George William and Sally Fairfax’s London-Made Furniture,” in American Furniture 2019, ed. Luke Beckerdite (Milwaukee: Oxbow Press: 2019), 29.

Adam T. Erby, “From Belvoir to Mount Vernon,” George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Spring 2019, 9.

Henry G. Marquand, Centennial Celebration of the Inauguration of George Washington as First President of the United States: Catalogue of the Lon Exhibition of Historical Portraits and Relics (New York: Trow’s Printing and Bookbinding Company), 1889, 143-144.

MarkingsFully marked on base of kettle and base of burner: 1) lion passant; 2) leopard’s head crowned; 3) date letter “f” for 1753-1754; 4) sponsor’s mark of “S•C” beneath a sun. Engraved on base of kettle scratch weight “86=12.”

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