This silver hot-water urn, used to hold hot water for filling teapots at the tea table, was made in Edinburgh in 1759-60 by Alexander Gairdner. Its 'egg-shaped' design is unique to Scotland and only about ten of these urns have survived.
The urn has a distinctive ovoid body with snake shaped handles, a projecting tap and a separate lid. This is the latest in date of all the egg-shaped urns, and is unusual in being profusely decorated with rococo motifs.
The inspiration for the design of this type of urn may have come from silver-mounted ostrich eggs. Some of the urns may originally have had spirit burners to keep the water hot.
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