Antiques M.S. Rau | Old Sheffield Silver Plate Venison Dish With Cover

This Grand Venison Meat Dish Is Masterfully Crafted Of Fine Old Sheffield Silver Plate. A Product Of Regency Ingenuity, This Dish Is Crafted With The Utmost Intricacy In A Manner One Would Expect From A Sterling Counterpart. The Rich Acanthus Leaf Motif Extends From The Scrolling Feet And Handles To The Rims And Even The Finial To Give This Vessel A Truly Luxurious Touch. The Serving Dish, Which Could Be Used For A Variety Of Delectable Meats, Is Complete With Its Original Dome Cover And A Removable Liner That Allowed The Base To Be Filled With Hot Water To Keep The Entrée Piping Hot At The Table.

When Introduced Nearly 275 Years Ago By Sheffield Cutler Thomas Boulsover In 1743, Sheffield Silver Plate, Also Known As “Old Sheffield Plate” Or Simply “Sheffield Plate”, Offered Consumers A More Affordable Alternative To Sterling Silver. Its Sturdy Nature And Ease Of Decoration Allowed The Beauty Of Silver To Be Enjoyed Beyond The World Of The Wealthy, Effectively Making Sheffield Silver Plate The Most Successful Silver Substitute In History.

At First Glance, Sterling Silver And Sheffield Plate May Look Identical Since Sheffield Is Plated With Sterling. Unlike Sterling, Which Is Hammered Or Rolled From An Ingot Of Silver Blended With Other Metal Alloys, Sheffield Plate Consists Of A Sheet Of Silver, About 1/8-Inch Thick, Fused On Top Of An Ingot Of Copper, Which Is Then Flattened To A Malleable Sheet Of Metal; In This State, The Two Metals Act As One, Expanding In Unison.

Engraved On The Lid Are The Crest And Coat Of Arms Of Most Likely Of The Jervis-White Family With The Motto “Venale Nec Auro” Or “Not To Be Bribed With Gold.”

Circa 1825

25” Wide X 20” Deep X 16” High