A George III sterling silver teapot on stand, London 1784 by Hester Bateman Of oval form with a cavetto and beaded upper section with a hinged domed lid surmounted by a detachable carved mother of pearl pineapple finials with silver leaf calyx. The tubular spout opposite a later ebonised handle pinned to sockets. The stand of oval form with a beaded edge upon four ball and claw feet. The body with bright cut engraved decoration of pendant swags from rosettes, an oval cartouche engraved with initials MSK in flourished cursive script. The teapot stand engraved with the same cartouche, the cavetto edge with bright cut decoration. Fully marked underneath to each. (2) Length – 23.5 cm / 9.4 inches Weight – 568 grams / 18.29 ozt Hester Bateman (1708-1794) is the most well-known of all women within silver, with the Bateman workshop covering a board array of objects. Formerly Hester Neden she was married to John Batman on May 20th 1732, he was recorded as a ‘chain-maker’, where upon his death in 1760 she took charge of the workshops registering her first mark on April 16th 1761. Although Hester, or ‘ester’ as known to her family, was illiterate as seen in the often-cited register entry for her mark showing a naively initialled H and B in place of a signature, the business grew greatly. The Bateman workshop through successive members of her family became one of the great success stories of the 18th and early 19th century. Her daughter-in-law Anne Bateman registered marks with her sons Peter and William Bateman, her granddaughter Sarah Clarke, married her apprentice Crispin Fuller.