Matthew Boulton Old Sheffield Plate Armorial Tureen, Circa 1800

Make dinner an occasion with this magnificent Old Sheffield Plate tureen and liner by Matthew Boulton, made at the celebrated Soho Manufactory in Birmingham, circa 1800. Raised on elegant feet and enriched with gadrooned rims, the piece has the grand scale, confident form, and refined detailing expected of a formal Georgian dining table.

The tureen is engraved with the crest and arms of the Wilder family of Purley Hall, Berkshire, giving it exceptional provenance and transforming it from a handsome serving piece into a tangible record of aristocratic domestic life. The armorial engraving speaks to the importance of presentation and hospitality in the Georgian country house, where such pieces would have formed part of an impressive service used for dinners, celebrations, and entertaining.

Its beautifully balanced form is enhanced by the broad gadrooned border, which catches the light across the silver surface, while the raised feet give the tureen both elegance and presence. The fitted liner is a particularly desirable survival, completing the service and preserving the object's original practical function. Old Sheffield Plate, made by fusing silver to a copper base, was prized for allowing the splendour of silver to be brought to the table in richly fashioned and substantial forms.

Matthew Boulton's Soho Manufactory was among the most important centres of British decorative arts production during the Georgian period. Boulton's plated wares were renowned for their quality, design, and technical accomplishment, and pieces from the manufactory remain highly sought after by collectors of Old Sheffield Plate and Georgian silver.

Equally suited to use as a centrepiece for a formal table or to display in a dining room, sideboard, or cabinet, this impressive armorial tureen brings together fine Georgian craftsmanship, distinguished family provenance, and the enduring theatre of traditional dining.

Old Sheffield Plate; Matthew Boulton, Soho Manufactory, Birmingham; circa 1800. Engraved with the arms and crest of the Wilder family of Purley Hall, Berkshire. Please refer to the photographs for maker's marks, dimensions, condition, and details of the liner.