A George II antique sterling silver tea urn, London 1759 by Benjamin Gignac Of ovoid form with two cast handles surmounted by a flame finial topped lid heighted with gadrooned decoration, all raised upon a circular stand with pierced decoration and a gadrooned edge. The interior concealing an iron heating element, the body with a cast spout with ivory spigot. The stand and lid engraved with a crest of a demi lion rampant holding in the paws a wreath of laurel, with a baron’s coronet above, the main body engraved with a coat of arms below a baron’s coronet. Fully marked to the base edge, inside of body and maker’s mark and lion passant only to lid.  Height - 39 cm / 15.25 inches Silver weight – 2086 grams / 67.07 ozt The arms are those of Bridgeman impaling Simpson For Sir Henry Bridgeman (1725-1800), 5th Baronet of Great Lever (E.,1660) and 1st Baron Bradford (E.,1794) who married Elizabeth Simpson in 1755.  He was member of parliament for Wenlock between 1768-1794 and inherited Weston Park form his uncle the 2nd Earl of Bradford in 1762. This example represents one of the earliest English silver tea urns with another example of 1759 sold at Bonhams Knighstbridge 12th June 2013 Lot 360, believed to be used for dispensing hot water into teapot at the tea table, a tea urn is depicted in Johann Zoffany's 'John, Fourteenth Lord Willoughby de Broke, and his Family' 1766 (John Paul Getty Museum).