Fine Six-Piece Suite of George IV Matthew Boulton Old Sheffield Plate Hollowware, first quarter 19th century, Birmingham, including a pair of soup tureens, h. 11-1/2", l. 14-1/2", w. 9", a pair of sauce tureens, h, 6-1/4", l. 8-3/4", w. 5", and a pair of meat domes and platters, overall, h. 10", l. 18", w. 14-1/8", the tureens each of bulbous oval form, with gadrooned rim, addorsed acanthus handles and raised on four shell-and-scroll-crested lion's paw feet, with fitted and cavetto domed lid with gadroon banding, the domes and platters each of oval form with gadrooned rim and banding, all with robust acanthus ring handles en suite. Provenance: Purchased by the consignor in 1967 from the chauffeur of an old Jamaica Great House owner, who was given the set by his master for faithful service.

Overall Condition: Good. All pieces have scattered scratches, scuffs and dings consistent with age, but are generally quite nice. No evidence of replating. The large and small tureens have bleed-through to the copper on the lids on the gadrooned banding, but otherwise no bleeding noted. The ring handles on both small tureens have been repaired (where they meet the base), one cleanly, the other with visible lead solder. One of the feet on one small tureen is slightly bent, causing slight wobble. One of the domes has a 1-1/2" lightly rippled area where a dent has been removed, with a small fleck loss to the silver; the other dome has a shallow 1" raised dent. The base of one handle dome has a small worn area of relief where the lead core is visible. Both platters have some light scratches and knife marks, none deep, and one has four small (1/4") fleck losses to the silver. All pieces have a rubbed-in silver plaque for an armorial/monogram which has never been engraved. Each piece marked with the Matthew Boulton "double sun" trademark: the large tureens and platter under the rim, the domes and small tureens under the lid. The large tureens and platters additionally with a tally mark (a leaf and a pelleted circle, respectively). A very attractive set with minimal condition issues.