An American Silver Creamer and Covered Sugar Bowl, John Houlton and Liberty Browne, Baltimore, circa 1800

the creamer of helmet form with reeded loop handle, the sugar bowl of urn form, both with fluted bodies, bright-cut and engraved with a sunburst border above pendant floral garlands, each engraved with contemporary script monogram RLR enclosed by ribbon-tied drapery mantles, on spreading circular foot and scalloped base, beaded borders, sugar bowl marked on base four times, creamer apparently unmarked

creamer with split to at upper handle terminal and two repaired splits at rim, sugar bowl with escess solder on below beading on bowl and lid, finial missing
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This lot descended in the Ross family of Maryland, and it is possible that the monogram is that of Robert Ross.

In 1799, the workshop of John Houlton and Liberty (or John?) Browne was located at 123 Baltimore Street, Baltimore.  Houlton was a silversmith and engraver who had maintained a shop at 39 Race Street in Philadelphia from 1794 to 1798.  It is believed that Browne had also previously worked in Philadelphia from 1785 to 1796, first on Third Street and later at 36 North Front Street.  The partnership appears to have been short-lived as there is no record of John Houlton in Baltimore after 1801.  As there is also no evidence of Brown working in Baltimore on his own, it is presumed that he returned to Philadelphia shortly after the partnership ended.  Browne is recorded as working with William Seal at 188 South Front Street, Philadelphia, from 1810-1811.  Published in 1930, J. Hall Pleasants' and Howard Sill's book Maryland Silversmiths 1715-1830 notes that at the time of publication: "No silver by Brown and Houlton has been seen."