Ornate Sterling Silver Tea Service by Hardy Bros

• Cartouche - An ornamental panel in the form of of a shield, oval or rectangular scroll with curling edges. It may be carved into the back of a chair or the top of a sideboard, or present on a piece of silver or jewellery, and contain the initials of the original owner, heraldic symbols, or some other inscription, such as the details of a presentation.
  
  In ceramics the term defines the central area of a vase or similar with a decorative border in one of the shapes above, into which a decorative scene or figures have been painted.
• Sterling Silver - Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and the addition of the very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
• Caryatid - A Greek term that in architecture applies to a carved or cast female figures that acts as a column or pillar, supporting an entablature on her head.
  
  In decorative arts , in furniture of the Renaissance and Classical Revival periods. Male figures are known as Atlantes.
  
  Carved figures are rare on Australian furniture until the later 19th century, Australian craftsmen generally preferring to adopt the designs of the pattern books to rather more simple forms, such as scrolls or columns.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• coffee sets/services - silver items 412
• Hardy Bros. (Australia) - silver, silver plate and decorative items 667
• tea sets/services
  • silver items 129
  • silver, Edwardian 134