Hot water urn

Louisa Courtauld British

Not on view

Tea was brewed in small silver or ceramic teapots. As it cooled or became bitter, a hostess could refresh the pot with hot water poured from a kettle or urn. While a kettle was kept hot with a lamp burning mineral spirits, urns had the advantage of a simple interior compartment that held a heated iron rod or block. The design of this vase-shaped vessel reflects an awareness of Classical forms, but the scrolling ornament is firmly rooted in the rococo.

Hot water urn, Louisa Courtauld (British, 1729–1807), Silver, ivory, British, London

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