GLASGOW – A RARE SCOTTISH PROVINCIAL TEA TRAY MILNE & CAMPBELL marked M&C, Glasgow town mark, MC, O, of large circular scalloped outline with moulded rim, raised on four scrolling hoof feet, the reverse of the tray engraved William Crawford born 1 Jany 1704, Elizabeth Gow born 15 Decr 1712 – Married 5 August 1731 – Died 21 May 1771, Died 5th June 1787’

(36cm diameter, 35oz)

Note: The tea tray was an expensive optional extra within larger tea services and likely rarely commissioned. When compared to the extensive survival of teapot stands / waiters and traditional-sized salvers the true rarity of such a piece becomes evident. The survival of such items of Scottish manufacture pre-1750 appears to number as few as six, with only one provincially made example. The idea of a tea service is a relatively modern one, with matching items bought at the same time. It is likely that most services were ‘collected’ over time and indeed utilised fashionable porcelain as well as silver. The need for an equipage which included a large tea tray such as this would certainly have been for the highest classes of society only. Indeed there are few items of Scottish George II silver which would be larger or heavier than a tea tray such as this, perhaps only spirit kettles or the iconic ovoid coffee urns, again cementing the status an object of this type would have brought. Such an item would only have graced the wealthiest and most fashionable families and houses of Scotland. The fascinating engraving on the reverse presumably shows the origin of either the wealth or indeed recycled silver which was used to create this tea tray, likely closely upon the death of Elizabeth Gow in 1787 when this tray was likely crafted.