The Auctions of Elers Family Antiques

It was March 2020, whilst researching the life of Carew Elers (1755-1821) and his wife Susanna (Farrow) Elers, when I stumbled upon a notice from Chiswick Auctions in the UK for an upcoming auction of a George III sterling silver tea caddy, with the Elers coat of arms engraved into it.

The timing was perfect as the auction was programmed for two days after I found the notice. 

I wanted it, so I contacted the auctioneer to express my interest in bidding for it. I advised them I had no experience of bidding online so they agreed to represent my interests. 

I suggested £1000.00 was about as high as I was prepared to go. The next morning an email arrived confirming my bid was successful although they said in order to cement the deal they had had to lift my bid to £1100.00. I was happy with that situation.

So on top of the purchase price, I had to pay freight, NZ Customs clearance, and delivery to my home – an all up cost of NZD 2600.00.

There is a keyhole but no key. Apparently, back in the day, tea was a commodity enjoyed by the upper classes only, because of its expensiveness. So the tea caddies were locked to avoid theft by servants.

The caddy now occupies pride of place on our kitchen bench at home.

Chiswick Auctions advised they would keep an eye out for any other items that come up in the future with Elers markings.

Since that auction I have found two other items online, a teapot and a sugar bowl. I had missed the auction for the teapot, so I asked Mary Cooke Auctions to contact the successful bidder to see if they would be willing to sell it to me. The reply on 19 March 2024, as expected, was to the negative: “The teapot was sold in October 2023 for in the region of £5500.00. Sadly the customer collects this maker and it is a rare octagonal design. We have asked, but he does not wish to sell it”

The main body has an eight-sided octagonal form and one of the panels exceptionally finely engraved with a contemporary shield shaped Armorial, with tied ribbons above and crossed flowering branches below.  The octagonal high domed cover terminates in a silver pineapple finial.  The spout and fruitwood handle sockets are also eight sided, such is the attention to detail with this piece.  The Teapot is fully marked on the base and with the maker's mark and sterling mark on the underside of the cover.  It is most unusual to find a teapot with its original stand and this example has a raised reeded border and stands on four fluted scroll feet.  The underside of the stand also possesses a full set of hallmarks, corresponding to those on the teapot.

The Armorial and Crest are those of the Elers family of Chelsea, London, quartering those of Charon, also of Chelsea, impaling Farrow.  They are those, therefore of Carew Elers Esq born in 1755 to George & Mary Elers, nee Charon.  In 1788 he married Susanna, daughter and heiress of William Farrow of Monkseleigh and Cockfield, both in Suffolk.  Carew succeeded his father in 1784 and died in 1821 and is buried in Chelsea.

The Elers family were ancient nobility in Germany.  The first Elers came to England when George I ascended the throne in 1714.  The Charons were Huguenots who emigrated to this country in the late 17th century on the occasion of the revoking of the edict of Nantes.  Carew Elers was succeeded by his eldest son, the Reverend Carew Thomas Elers BD, patron of Rishangles, Co. Suffolk and vicar of Bickenhill, Co. Warwick.  Carew Thomas was born in 1790 and married, in 1821, Sarah, youngest daughter of Charles Palmer Esq of Coleshill, Co. Warwick.

• TEAPOT:

  • Height: 6.4 inches.

  • Length, handle to spout: 10.75 inches.

  • Width: 3.9 inches.

  • Weight: 16oz.

• TEAPOT STAND:

  • Length: 7.55 inches.

  • Width: 5.5 inches.

The same item went up for auction on 21 December 1944. One wonders how much the winning bid was compared with the current value.

The sugar bowl, again with the Elers coat of arms, had been sold for £ 320.00. And like the teapot, the customer was not prepared to sell.

Maybe sometime in the future, one of our family may sight these items up for auction and bid accordingly to secure the enjoyment of owning treasures previously used by our ancestors centuries ago.