Spherical butter dish consisting of a double-walled bowl on pedestal base with lobed circular foot and a pivoting cover decorated with three guilloche or engine-turned bands. Diaper pierced outer bowl has pendant cast openwork five-lobed shells applied at rim along with two scroll-bracket holders for a butter knife and two fittings for the ball-knob handles of the cover with pins on S-link chains to secure in place; a flat dish or liner pierced with an 8-pointed star design rests on rim of inner bowl. Struck incuse on pedestal underside "M'F'D & PLATED BY / REED & BARTON" and on bowl underside "81", both in roman letters. Cover and liner not marked. No butter knife.
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