Large heavy-gauge early Victorian antique silver salver

Most impressive large antique silver salver from the first year of Queen Victoria's reign. The surface is hand chased with a profusion of various flowers, tendrils and foliage while the cast and applied border is a riot of decorations, all in high relief: flowers, grapes, scrolls, Bacchus masks, lion heads and claws all make up the abundant decoration.

This heavy-gauge salver rests on four cast and hand-chased scroll, acanthus leaf and scallop shell supports.

The serving trays we know today is an evolution of the salver, which was a term used in England from the mid-seventeenth century to denote a flat tray without handles, usually made of silver. Like this example, some salver designs featured supporting feet - usually three or four.

The word salver derives from the Latin salvare meaning to save. Originally, food or drink intended for royalty would be initially tasted by a servant for signs of poison before it reached the royal top table. Being served on the salver indicated that this process had taken place and the food and drink was now fit for a king.

Salvers later became commonplace in aristocratic and wealthy homes and Samuel Pepys is recorded as an owner of a salver, signifying his high social standing.

This large salver is not available to purchase online. Please contact us if you would like more information or are interested to buy it.