Sauce Tureen and Cover from the Hood Service 1807 - 1808

This is a Sauce Tureen and Cover, made by Paul Storr in the 18th century, fashioned from gleaming silver. Immediately, one notices the symmetry and order. It’s constructed with strong horizontal lines, from the base, ascending in bands to the lid. This geometric precision is softened by its curves. Consider the semiotics at play. The lion heads on either side act as heraldic symbols. The finial of a bird perched above an anchor suggests both freedom and stability. The craftsmanship speaks to a time of formal dining and social rituals. The repeated patterns and textures—the beading and the fluting—create a tactile quality. The tureen presents a world of wealth and social codes. Its formal balance and ornamentation speak of 18th-century aristocratic values. The silver material also has a language. It reflects light, enhancing the details and, by extension, the status it signifies. It is a vessel but also a sign.