From the first quarter of the 18th century a large proportion of German pewter was made in rococo, then neo-classical, followed by Empire styles. The forms most suited to rococo were candlesticks, sauceboats, teapots, coffee pots and tureens. Most of these were of fine quality metal and workmanship, and the rococo style continued until the end of the 18th century, long after it was considered to be fashionable (1725 to 1760). The rococo style was never used by English pewterers; the Dutch and French used it sparingly. Only the Germans experimented with this style to any large degree. The eagle touchmark on this fine soup tureen suggests it comes from Villingen, Federal Republic of Germany. Covered soup tureens in the rococo style such as this, are extremely rare and are coveted by serious pewter collectors. Because they were costly, few were made. As a two piece set, far fewer survived intact for hundreds of years. This fine example is a large soup tureen with vertical lobing, measuring 14 ½ ” in width (from the outer edge of each handle) and 12″ in height. The base opening of the tureen measures 10 ½” by 7 ½”, and is engraved with the owner’s inials “GSK” and the date “1723”. The bottom of the base contains three oval maker’s marks (unidentified), the center mark containing an eagle and the numbers “2 3″. The quality of the metal is exceptional and the soup tureen weighs a full 7 pounds. There is a solder repair, as shown in the photos. This tureen holds a full gallon, and I believe it might be a “presentation piece”, adding greatly to its value.
