Wood & Hughes Sterling Terrapin Soup Bowl, New York City, c. 1880's

This fun and rare piece of aesthetic silver features 3 wonderfully cast feet in the form of terrapins. Carrying a bowl on their backs, these terrapins are cast with heads, tails and feet extending from their shell. The irregularly shaped lobed bowl is hand-chased in a manner similar to the texture of terrapin skin. One of the panels has a cartouche for a monogram which has never been engraved.

Did you know the popularity of terrapin soup almost made the terrapin extinct and it is to this day a protected species?

This fascinating piece of silver is marked underneath 'STERLING/ W&H/ 164', measures 2.5 inches high by 4.75 inches wide and weighs 5.9 troy ounces. It is in very good antique condition.