This exceptional item is an epergne, a type of centrepiece featuring a large central bowl flanked by several smaller bowls, all of which are intended to hold and display fruit and other products. The present example features a large central bowl with gadroon mouldings and a rolled lip, set above a fluted socle raised by four scrolled feet. The larger, central bowl is encompassed by six smaller bowls, each supported by an S-scrolled bracket. The centrepiece is wrought from silver, with the interior of each bowl gilt.

Asprey was founded in London in the late 18th Century and has since become world famous for its fine quality jewellery and other luxury items. The company have supplied royalty, not only in Britain, but across the world, with crowns, coronets, sceptres, and other such wares, for centuries.

The silver is signed ‘Asprey’, marked with A for the company, and features both a sterling silver mark and a leopard’s head mark for the London assay office.