Queen Anne Britannia standard silver tazza
Queen Anne Britannia standard silver tazza
9723
This beautifully simple, early-18th-century silver tazza or comport is in fine and original condition. Finding early-18th-century sterling silver tazzas is rare, and examples in fine condition like this one are sought after. The centre is engraved with a family coat-of-arms, that of the XXXX family and its simplicity means it provides a number of serving purposes: petit fours, biscuits, fruit or canapés.
'Arms were borne without authority' means that they were probably never formally granted arms by an heraldic body such as The College of Arms or The Court of the Lord Lyon here in the UK. Such arms were self assumed often in a family's distant past. Sometimes families avoided official sanction through choice or chose not to pursue an official grant or confirmation as they did not wish to pay the fees that the heralds charged.
Britannia silver is a high-grade alloy of silver which has a purity of 95.8% (by weight); higher than sterling silver (92.5%). The Britannia silver is softer and more malleable and today is mostly reserved for creating special commissions.
The Italian word tazza refers to a shallow bowl or dish on a stem with a foot. It is a form of vessel that had been popular since the early sixteenth century. These footed bowls originated in Venice and were made in glass, but gold and silversmiths soon copied the form in precious metals. 16th and 17th century paintings show glass and metalwork tazzas being used to serve delicacies such as fruit, biscuits, sweetmeats, candied fruits, and as purely decorative objects in their own right.
Dimensions:
1706
London
Fine & original
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; higher than sterling silver (92.5%). The Britannia silver is softer and more malleable and today is mostly reserved for creating special commissions.The Italian word tazza refers to a shallow bowl or dish on a stem with a foot. It is a form of vessel that had been popular since the early sixteenth century. These footed bowls originated in Venice and were made in glass, but gold and silversmiths soon copied the form in precious metals. 16th and 17th century paintings show glass and metalwork tazzas being used to serve delicacies such as fruit, biscuits, sweetmeats, candied fruits, and as purely decorative objects in their own right.){kind=link}