Sheffield Silver Plate Rolling Dessert Stand

The perfect complement to a fine dining affair, this George III-period rolling dessert stand is crafted of desirable Sheffield silver plate. In this modified version of an epergne, this centerpiece features an urn-form basket encircled by pierced circular dishes supported on four arms that radiate from the center. In between are 10 glass dessert cups so that each guest may dress their sweet treat with a variety of ingredients. The entire form rests upon a raised and beautifully pierced base complete with casters, which allows the entire fixture to be effortlessly rolled from one dinner guest to the next. 

When introduced two hundred and fifty years ago, Sheffield Plate offered consumers a more affordable alternative to sterling silver. At first glance, sterling silver and Sheffield Plate may look identical since Sheffield is plated with sterling. Unlike sterling, which is hammered or rolled from an ingot of silver blended with other metal alloys, Sheffield Plate consists of a sheet of silver, about 1/8 inch thick, fused on top of an ingot of copper, which is then flattened to a malleable sheet of metal; in this state, the two metals act as one, expanding in unison.

Circa 1780

18 3/4" wide x 18 1/2" high