A George III/IV Scottish sterling silver ‘castle top’ four-piece tea service, Edinburgh 1817/20 by J Hay, the stand by James McKay Comprising a teapot, a teapot stand (1817), milk jug and twin handled sugar bowl. The teapot of compressed circular form upon a circular pedestal foot, the curved spout with shell forms and scrolls opposite an acanthus capped C scroll handle fitted with insulators pinned to scroll junctions with rosette terminal. The hinged domed lid surmounted by a detachable leaf capped pomegranate finial, all with a husk shell and foliate scroll rim. The stand of circular form with the same rim all upon four lion paw and four acanthus scroll bracket feet. The milk jug and sugar bowl of similar form, each with a gilt interior, the milk jug with spout with Grecian mask between shells and scroll. The bodies with embossed decoration of Edinburgh castle to each side amidst foliage and foliate scrolls, the adverse side with a vacant C scroll cartouche with rocaille work, all against a matted ground. The pedestal feet with embossed foliate scrolls and rosettes. Each fully marked underneath, the teapot handle part-marked, the lid unmarked, the sugar bowl with an additional maker’s mark to the footrim. (4) Teapot length – 29.2 cm / 11.5 inches Weight – 1993 grams / 64.08 ozt Sold Sotheby’s 16 December 1997, lot 203declaration - 85FC3ZWC