Bronze Age Gold from Wales

Tea kettle, spirit lamp and stand, Britannia standard silver, with ebony handles and an ivory finial; the kettle with a pear-shaped body, curved and moulded octagonal spout with a bird's head terminal, high bail handle on S-scroll supports, and a stepped and domed cover with a bun-shaped ivory finial, and engraved on one side with the arms of Treby quartering Grange in a baroque cartouche; the stand on three S-scroll feet, terminating in wooden buns, circular drum-shaped lamp with shallow stepped cover, and shaped drop handles with turned ebony centres.

This rare tea kettle stand was given by Mrs Mary Vaughan of Llwydiarth, Montgomeryshire (d.1722) to her daughter Mary, the wife of Thomas Strangways of Melbury, Dorset. It was supplied to Mary Strangways on 9th December 1720 by Gislingham Cooper, described as 'A polish'd Tea Kettle Stand & Frame wt 316oz 0d at 7s 8d pr oz - £121 2s 8d'. The tea kettle is not original to the stand, but is of the same date.