JOHN TAPLEY

London, 1835

Maker's Mark of John Tapley

Height: 2.3 inches (5.75 cm)

Length, handle to handle: 5 inches (12.5 cm)

Weight: 22oz 

These exceptional silver-gilt salt cellars stand on circular stepped bases, each adorned with a finely chased band of classical tied laurel leaves. The baluster-shaped bodies are richly decorated with acanthus leaves and palm motifs, rising gracefully to an everted rim embellished with gadrooning, interspersed with anthemions and radiating shells flanked by further acanthus detailing. Each cellar features a pair of bound side handles, their attachments enhanced with elegant acanthus mouldings.

The interiors are beautifully gilded, and the undersides display a particularly crisp and well-struck set of hallmarks. Their substantial weight and exquisite craftsmanship reflect the exceptional quality expected of the maker.

The design and execution are of outstanding standard, as one would anticipate from a silversmith trained under the renowned Paul Storr. It is highly likely that these cellars were designed by one of the leading silver designers of the period. John Tapley, the maker, operated in close proximity to Rundell, Bridge & Rundell on Ludgate Hill—just steps from St Paul’s Cathedral—and was known to supply this royal retailer. His workshop was therefore responsible for producing silverware of the highest quality.