Pair of German Silver Sauce Boats, Gilt Inside

Pair of German Silver Sauce Boats, Gilt Inside

The present pair of antique silver sauceboats presents a typical form with Rococo decoration from the second half of the 18th century. The embossed and engraved sauceboat has the form of a boat, is raised on an embossed, high, oval, curved foot and has on its side two mounted curved and cast handles with a two-part end. The sauceboats carry inside their original gilding. The stern of the body is formed through an embossed shell and it is towards the upper part particularly curved. The bow serves as a serving spout and is with shells adorned. On the right side of the bow is engraved on each sauceboat the coat of arms of the Prussian noble house von Coels (von der Brügghen).

Historical Information

The modern type of sauce vessels was formed around 1700 and originates probably in France (court of Louis XIV). In the course of the 18th century, the type of the sauce vessel as a boat is also constituted. The German gold- and silversmiths maintained that form during the 18th century. Besides, this boat-form, with a serving spout or not, was quite popular in Europe.

The coat of arms engraved on the vessel is that of von Coels (von der Brügghen). The coat of arms is being formed from a quartered shield, in which, the first and fourth field present a springing, crowned lion that is directed towards heraldic left. The second and third field shows a double eagle with a crown.
Coels von der Brügghen originates from Flanders. Franz Jos. von Coels, whose mother Eugenie was the last member of the house von der Brügghen, was raised on the 12th March 1851, to baronial peerage with the addition of the name von der Brügghen and an addition to his coat of arms. The family coat of arms of von Coels is the one, which is presented on this pair of sauceboats (cf. Siebenmacher 1973: p. 39 and 37; fig. Taf. 46 and Taf. 44).

Maker

Carl Samuel Bettkober was a silverworker, Protestant, born in Soldin/Mark Brandenburg around 1731. He was free in 1763 and on the same year he got married to Sibylla Jakobina Scheppich and thus took over the workshop of the father Martin Gottfried Scheppich. In 1785 and 1786 he was a warden at the assay office. He died in 1787.
Carl Samuel Bettkober is known for his set of dishes in the Residenz in Munich (imperial silver collection), his tureens and other objects as well as his sauce vessels in form of boats (cf. Seling 1980: fig. 791).

Literature

Seling, H., 1980-2007, Die Augsburger Gold- und Silberschmiede 1529-1868, Bd. I-III, München: Beck Verlag
Siebenmacher, J., 1973, Großes Wappenbuch: Die Wappen des preußischen Adels, Bd. 14, 1. Teil, Neustadt an der Aisch: Bauer & Raspe, Inh. Gerhard Geßner