A Pair of Paul de Lamerie George I/II Silver Sauce Boats

A Pair of Paul de Lamerie George I/II Silver Sauce Boats

London, Early 18th Century

each hallmarked for Sterling to underside
43 ozt 12 dwt gross
Height 5 x width 8 inches.

Sold to Benefit the Acquisition Fund of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields European Furniture & Decorative Arts
Each in overall stable, usable condition. Surface wear and scattered tiny dents and marks, as is normal for age. The interiors have a visibly uneven, patched appearance where the feet and lion masks are joined to the hollow bodies, some of which appear to be due to age and feet being pushed into bodies. One example with three feet featuring solder repairs visible from interior. Accession marks painted on the underside. Engraved stag crests at the head of each vessel which appear to be original. The chased and engraved decoration under the side shells and surrounding the mouth shell might be 19th century additions, but we are not certain of that. The marks mostly rubbed on the undersides. The maker's mark is not legible on one example, the other with a barely decipherable script 'PL' over a pellet matches known marks by deLamerie; the boats were known to be Paul de Lamerie by the Indianapolis Museum. Scattered tarnish and black marks throughout. One of the feet with a visible casting crack under its lion mask, probably from production.