R. Calderwood Sterling Silver Epergne Centerpiece from Mid-18th Century

Extremely rare Robert Calderwood sterling silver epergne centerpiece from the mid-18th century, the base and center bowl with wave and shell decoration, apron with bird and floral decoration, scroll arms with candle sockets, and the bowl with the coat of arms for the Tennant noble family on either side. It measures 14'' in height by 19'' from candle to candle, weighs an impressive 122.6 troy ounces, and bears hallmarks as shown. This lacquered epergne is exceptional by its rarity, its level of technical excellence, and its unusually heavy weight for an epergne. It is in pristine condition and has never been buffed. 

The Tennant family dates its roots to Scotland in the 12th century; this noble clan has its own tartan and is considered an important clan; later, some of its members emigrated to Ireland. 

Robert Calderwood was one of Ireland's finest 18th century goldsmiths. He has been described in the past as the Paul de Lamerie of Dublin. Calderwood's firm was probably the largest concern of its type in Ireland at this time, and during the period 1727 - 1764, he engaged no less than 14 apprentices, the greatest number recorded in 18th century Ireland.

In an article by Alison FitzGerald, who is a lecturer at University College Dublin and who completed a PhD thesis at the Royal College of Art, London, on the production and consumption of goldsmiths' work in eighteenth-century Dublin states: “His long working career spanned almost forty years as a freeman of the guild, and his productivity, which can be confirmed from guild assay records and surviving objects, makes him an excellent subject for analysis. His entrepreneurial activities lend him further interest. He developed a successful silver-wire manufactory. He engaged craftsmen from England and Germany and obtained parliamentary backing for this ancillary business. He also seems to have been responsible for at least one sale of Chelsea porcelain in Dublin in the mid-eighteenth century. 

Calderwood seems to have come from a respectable background. His father's profession is unknown, but his mother was a granddaughter of John Magill of Gill Hall in Co. Down, and a sister of Sir John Magill, which linked Calderwood to genteel families in the north of Ireland.”

The Dublin Assay Office records show Calderwood as the most prolific user of their services. In 1754, the Company assayed 52,000 oz. of silver of which Calderwood's submissions exceeded 4,000 oz. the balance being submissions from over 80 silversmiths.

His work has achieved high prices at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams amongst others. Notably, one of his epergnes, which is very similar to ours, sold at Christie's in 2022 for over 60,000 Euros. Some of his pieces are in prestigious museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

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