Description

An exquisite little early English silver teapot of pear shape, with octagonal curved spout and wood scroll handle. Good gauge silver. Hand engraved to the front within a decorative cartouche is a large contemporary armorial for the Shuckburgh baronetcy. Early teapots were of small capacity because of the rarity of tea.

Contains 450 ml.
Weight (including handle) 383 grams, 12.3 troy oz.
Height 14.5cm, 5.7ins. Spread 18cm, 7ins.
London 1721.
Maker Abraham Buteux.
Sterling silver.

Marks. Stamped underneath the body with a full set of English silver hallmarks; lid with maker’s mark.

Literature: Early teapots were of small capacity because of the rarity of tea. Although there are a few 17th century teapots in existence, there is little likelihood of finding one dating before 1710. The earlier the teapot the smaller they tend to be as tea was a very expensive commodity until the middle of the reign of George I.

Arms. The arms are for the Shuckburgh Baronetcy. The title was created in 1660 for John Shuckburgh, the eldest son of Sir Richard Shuckburgh, (1594–1656) Member of Parliament for Warwickshire and a supporter of the Royalist cause in the Civil War, who was knighted before the Battle of Edgehill by Charles I. The magnificent Shuckburgh estate, in the village of Shuckburgh, County of Warwick, has been the home of the Shuckburgh family since the 12th century. The house Shuckburgh Hall was granted Grade II listed building status in January 1952 and is not generally open to the public.

This rare little silver teapot is in very good condition. The engraving is crisp. This pot has been water tested and doesn't leak. It pours beautifully.

Maker: Abraham Buteux

Abraham Buteux (or Bateaux, Buteaux or Bulteaux) was born in London in 1698, the son of a Huguenot refugee family. Abraham’s father Isaac was a master weaver and Abraham was formerly apprenticed to William West of the Skinners Company in 1711 however it seems likely that he actually served a goldsmith’s apprenticeship under Simon Pantin (his uncle and godfather), free in 1718. Abraham married Simon Pantin’s daughter Elizabeth (Eliza) in 1721 at St Pauls Cathedral. That same year he entered 2 marks (Sterling and New Standard) and the married couple set up business in Green St, moving to Norris St in 1731. Just a few short months later Abraham died and Eliza, 3 months pregnant at the time, continued the business and entered her own widow’s mark as Elizabeth Buteux. The Buteux’s work bears similarity to that of Simon Pantin – elegant, classical style silverwares, mainly plain cups, other hollow-ware and salvers, to include a teapot and tea-table bowl on public display in the Harvard Art Museums and a toilet set in the V & A, London (not currently on display). biography extracted from Sandra Robinson's "Simon Pantin & His Children"

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