This teapot and its matching stand were made by Andrew Fogelberg and Stephen Gilbert, two silversmiths who ran a successful partnership in London from 1780-1793. Andrew Fogelberg, also identified as Anders Fogelberg, was born in Sweden in 1732 and apprenticed to a goldsmith in Halmsted in 1746. He is thought to have come to England in around 1770 and later took on the renowned silversmith Paul Storr as his apprentice. This teapot sits on a cradle stand with square tapering legs applied with swags, a feature that is reminiscent of the decorative sketches of the architect and designer, Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). The form appears to have been successful, as Fogelbert & Gilbert made several versions, and silver-gilt examples feature in The Chitra Collection (CCN 32) and the V&A. The decorative swags and ram’s heads on this piece are typical of the English neo-classical style, which became fashionable during the second half of the 18th century. The crest is a style granted to John Crichton-Stuart, Marquess of Bute and Earl of Dumfries.
