Tureen with Cover 1745 - 1746

This ornate silver tureen with cover was created by Peter Archambo I, a London-based silversmith active in the first half of the 18th century. The exaggerated naturalism of the decoration gives us a glimpse into the dining habits of the British elite, for whom the rituals of eating were an important part of their social identity. Archambo, who was of French Huguenot extraction, catered to this wealthy clientele, crafting luxury items that spoke of status and refinement. The motifs of game and foliage suggest a connection to the hunt and the rural estate, a potent symbol of landed wealth and aristocratic privilege. Objects like these tell us so much about the social structures of their time. They prompt the historian to ask questions about manufacturing practices, systems of patronage, and the circulation of luxury goods in the 1700's. Auction catalogs, inventories of estates, and other archival sources can help us to understand the place of this tureen within the landscape of Georgian England.