A highly unusual and rare pair of George III provincial sterling silver milk jugs or sauce boats on stands, York 1802 by Hampston, Prince and Cattle

The jugs of baluster form with a moulded rim and upon a collet foot, and with moulded D section handles. Gilt interiors. The stands of circular form with cavetto edge and moulded rims, each upon three moulded splay feet. The front of the jugs and stands engraved with a crest of issuing from among reeds a demi-triton in profile, wreathed about the temples also with reeds, and blowing a conch shell. Each marked underneath the stand (lacking town mark) and part-marked to the right of handle of the jugs. (4)

Stand diameter – 11.7 cm / 4.7 inches

Jug height – 10.3 cm / 4.1 inches

Weight – 658 grams / 21.16 ozt

The crest is for Sykes

Most likely for the Sykes Baronets of Sledmere in the County of York, created in the Baronetage of Great Britain on 28^th March 1783 for Reverend Mark Sykes (1711–1783). Perhaps for Mark Masterman Sykes (1771–1823) or his younger brother, Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet (1772–1863).