A rare George II Scottish provincial silver punch bowl, George Cooper, Aberdeen, circa 1735

on plain circular foot, the hemispherical bowl chased below the lip with baskets of fruit, flowers and diaperwork within areas of matting, scrolls and scrolled strapwork, further engraved on one side with a coat of arms and crest below the motto 'VIRTUTE ET OPERA,' the underside engraved with the initials PD over MD in script, scratch weight: 'oun' and 'dr' above '80  4' above '20  10' above '108  14'

The bowl is of excellent gauge. The flat chased border and engraved arms are crisp. The interior and exterior with surface scratching and areas of light pitting. The makers mark clearly struck twice. One further mark not partially legible. Overall 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 Duff impaling another.

A large (52cm.) silver salver with similar chased decoration, engraved with the same coat of arms, crest and motto and bearing the same maker’s mark of George Cooper of Aberdeen, was acquired by the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums in 1975. It was included in the exhibition, ‘Made in Scotland’ held at the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, between 25 January and 27 April 2008, item 5.11, for which see the catalogue of that event by George Dalgleish and Henry Steuart Fothringham, p. 94 and illustration opposite.

The authors of that catalogue suggested that the arms are those of ‘Adam Duff, Provost of Aberdeen 1774-75, who succeeded his father in 1731.’ This Adam Duff, who was born after 1722 and died in 1795, was one of the 23 children of Patrick Duff (1655-1731) of Craigston and his second wife, Mary Urquhart (d. 1764) whom he married on 4 October 1701. The Urquhart coat of arms is: or, three boars’ heads erased gules, as opposed to the wife’s coat engraved on this bowl and on the Duff family salver in the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums: (azure?) a fess chequy (argent and azure?) between three boars’ heads couped.

A silver dish cross, Coline Allan (1740-1774) of Aberdeen, engraved with the same crest and motto, was sold at Sotheby's, London, on 5 December 1968, lot 175.