This lovely Regency period soup tureen has bold gadroon borders and magnificent cast feet and handles. The feet are formed as lion’s paws leading from acanthus leaves and the unusual detachable handle is formed as two snakes issuing from an acanthus arrangement. The tureen has two fine cast work handles to either end. It is hallmarked underneath, on the lid, and both parts of the detachable handle. The tureen is in superb condition and the cast work detail very sharp. Dimensions: length (across handles) 39.7 cm, width 23.7 cm; weight 103.75 troy oz. Tureens were introduced via the French court in the early 18th century as a functional table piece from which a host could serve soup or stew. The word tureen is derived from the French word terrine. Louis XIV's taste for hot, rich stews is often credited as a major influence in the use of tureens. As tureens became a symbol of wealth, many were engraved with marital or family armorials. In the mid-1700s, tureens were provided with matching stands and ladles. By the late 1700s, sauceboats were replaced with smaller sauce tureens, often matching the larger tureens.