A George II silver soup tureen and cover, George Wickes, London, 1735

of bombe oval form, raised on four leaf-capped and rocaille scroll supports, similar double-scroll handles rising from monster heads on a cartouche of scalework and shells, each side applied with cast armorials between supporters, below coronets, ribbon-tied reeded rim, the armorials on rococo cartouches repeated on the cover above sprays of bullrushes and berried branches, the ends with applied classical profile busts on similar cartouches, double-scroll leaf-capped handle with two grotesque masks centered by a round shell the cover fully marked, engraved N^{o1, the base fully marked, engraved No2 and with scratchweight 157=3}

Sold Sotheby's New York, October 12, 1990, lot 313

Elaine Barr, George Wickes, Royal Goldsmith 1698-1761, London, 1980,  pl.80.
Elaine Barr, "Lord North's Tureen", Sotheby's Preview, September 1990.
Royal Goldsmiths, The Garrards Heritage, Garrard & Co Ltd., London, 1991, p.34.

The cover with lion passant, date letter and leopard's head marked on underside, maker's mark on rim, the base fully marked on underside, marks with some wear, the interior with some surface scratches commensurate with age, overall in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The arms are those of North for Francis North (1704-90) who succeeded his father as Baron Guildford in 1729 and succeeded his cousin William as Lord North of Kirtlington, on October 31, 1734. He was known by the latter title until becoming the Earl of Guildford in 1752. Lord North's son Frederick (godson of the Prince of Wales) was first Lord of the Treasury (Prime Minister) between 1770 and 1782.

1735 was a significant year both for Lord North and George Wickes. The former married his second wife Alexandra dowager Viscountess Lewisham and Wickes was appointed goldsmith to Frederick Prince of Wales. It is thought that North, an influential member of the prince's court as a Lord of the Bedchamber was instigator of this appointment, having been a patron of the goldsmith before 1735. The Prince is likely to have seen a pair of Wickes made candelabra acquired by North in 1731 at the time of the latter's appointment as a Lord of the Bedchamber. According to Barr these candelabra are the`..earliest known examples of objects which were not made for the Prince but for high officers in his household on which the royal crest and motto Ich Dien were engraved..' (Barr  1980, p. 138).   About the choice of Wickes as goldsmith to the Prince of Wales Elaine Barr says `Seldom can a prince have had such a choice of skilled goldsmiths, Wickes apart, Paul de Lamerie, Paul Crespin, Frederick Kandler, David Willaume II, John Le Sage, Peter Archambo I, John Edwards, Lewis Pantin and Benjamin Godfrey were all working in London at the time' 

This tureen is one of a pair that were delivered to Lord North on April 27th, 1736. It is recorded in Wickes's Gentleman's Ledger under the heading 'The Right Hon^ble The Lord North & Guilford' as '2 fine tureens'  with a weight of 314 oz. 6dwt. at a cost of £157 3s. In the same entry Lord North ordered '2 Ovell Dishes' (under dishes for the tureens), '12 Plates w^t Gadroons ad^d', engraved with '12 Coats and Supporters'. At  £157 3s for the tureens alone that was exactly 10s per ounze a large sum where average silver was charged at 6s and must be accounted for by the complexity of the cast and applied armorials and decorative elements. Similar cast classical bust profiles as the ones on the cover were used by Wickes in the same year,  on the famous silver-gilt ewer and basin ordered by the Common Council of the Corporation of the City of Bristol as a gift to judge John Scrope. The ewer and basin was sold by Sotheby's, London, June 13, 1983, lot 45 for £160,000.