Thomas Whipham (England, 1715 - 1785)
Teapot, 1768-1769
Silver, 7.3 cm (2 7/8 in.)
This polished silver teapot and tray is very small, less than three inches around. The pot is oval and tapers to become slightly wider at the bottom. The thin, rounded spout forms a shallow S shape. The lid has a tall finial with a rounded top. The silver handle, opposite the spout, is decorated with curves and spirals. There is a small engraved or stamped design in the center of the pot. It shows a young woman with her left hand on her hip and her right hand holding a leafy branch. Another leafy branch curves around the other side of her body. She is standing against a horizontal line where the image ends, just below her hips. The detached silver tray for the teapot has three concentric circles around the periphery defined by shallow depressions between them. There is a wide but shallow round central depression with a small engraved boar’s head in the center and the monogram EAB with the letters intertwined.
Dutch Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.