Bronze Age Gold from Wales

Soup tureen, cover and liner of oval urn shape, the oval pedestal foot chased with two bands of stiff leaves below a beaded collar, the lower body chased with vertical lobes below an applied band of interlaced ribbons, the upper body chased with festoons of husks spaced by paterae linking two rams' heads in centre, and at the ends two satyrs' heads holding ring handles, the rim chased wtih a band of buds alternating with cinquefoils below a beaded edge, cover chased with two bands of Vitruvian scrolls framed by beading, oval wreath finial surrounded by spreading petals within a lobed band, plain liner engraved with arms, bolted to an oval stand, domed centre chased with radiating lobes between two applied beaded bands, ovolo rim.

Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1749-1789) was the richest Welshman of his day, with estates in much of north Wales. Sir Watkin loved the glamour and glitter of silver, and seems to have spent more on plate than on pictures. This is one of two smaller tureens from Sir Watkin's great table service, which comprised 160 pieces of silver. The service was commissioned for 20 St James’s Square, Sir Watkin’s London home, built 1771-5 by Robert and James Adam.