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"The Prancing Unicorn": An Important Scottish George I silver tablespoonWilliam Scott (I or II), Perth, c.1720Hanoverian pattern, initialled "HB" in script.Note: in Richard Turner's book (an Illustrated Directory of Scottish Provinical Silversmiths & their marks, 2014, p 86) the marks WS, Thistle and an "S" are noted alongside the very rare Lamb & Flag mark for William Scott of Perth. This spoon bears the figure of a full Unicorn, the Scottish Heraldic Beast, in place of the Lamb & Flag. Other than a worn impression upon a spoon in the National Museum of Scotland it appears this intricate and complicated figure of a "Prancing Unicorn" is unrecorded. The effort required to make such a mark must show it was a deliberate and thought out substitution though we do not yet know why. Possibly it signified Scott working briefly in another, as yet unknown, location. What is certain is that since it's recent discovery it counts amongst the rarest of all Scottish Provincial marks. Size: 22cm long Weight: 2oz 15dwt Stock Number: A884 Price: £2,750 |
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Irish: A very fine George III pair of silver gobletsThomas Townsend, Dublin, c.1797-1800the ovoid bowls raised on gadrooned spreading circular feet,entirely and profusely bright-cut engraved, interiors gilt. Superb condtion Note: only one other Irish maker (TT), Thomas Tailford of Edederry, Kings Co. is recorded as sending items for assay in Dublin in this same period (Jackson p.704). Given they are maker's mark only it may well be that these goblets are the first example of his work to come to light but without any other impression of his mark for comparison they must be described as the work of Townsend. Size: 14cm high Weight: 14oz 5dwt Stock Number: A880 Price: £2,950 |
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A Louis XV silver cachou boxmaker's mark MM, Paris, 14th July 1773-16th July 1774of oval upright form with re-entrant moulded borders and a domed cover. Heavy gauge, superb marksSize: 4.5cm high Weight: 13dwt Stock Number: A878 Price: £220 |
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A George III silver scent bottle caseJoseph Taylor, Birmingham, c.1790-1800of tapering oval form with a pull off cover, bright-cut foliate decoration throughoutSize: 4cm long Weight: 4dwt Stock Number: A877 Price: £75 |
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An extremely rare George III pair of silver child's shoe bucklesSusanna Barker, London, c.1778-84the rectangular silver frames with Neoclassical reeded and foliate engraved borders interspersed at the corners with oval paterae, fitted with steel chapes. Note: these are a rare miniature form of large Gentleman's shoe buckles of the period, no doubt made for a small boy due to the much smaller size and very narrow arch (which would in no way fit the smallest of adult feet). Excellent condition Size: 5.5cm long Weight: 2oz 1dwt all in Stock Number: A876 Price: £570 |
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Arts and Crafts: A fine Elizabeth II silver three piece tea setFrederick Newland Smith, London, 1956hand raised with geometric engraved borders and handles, bayonet fitted cover and inscription to the base. Note: Frederick Newland Smith was a member of the Welwyn Craftworkers Guild, previously being Head of Gold & Silversmithing at Manchester School of Art for 30 years. This set was commissioned by fellow Guild member Winifred E. Harrison. Size: teapot 21cm long Weight: 24oz 11dwt Stock Number: A873 Price: £975 |
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West Country silver: A rare Victorian sauce ladleRobert, James & Josiah Williams of Bristol, Exeter, 1848Onslow pattern with a fluted bowl, crested to the front of the stem.Note: the ladle bears three duty marks, each scarfed section bearing a separate punch. extremely rare.Provenance: Ex Collection of A.B.L.Dove Size: 17cm long Weight: 1oz 13dwt Stock Number: A870 Price: £475 |
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A George III silver and baleen punch ladleJohn Mitchison, Newcastle, c.1786-92the beaded oval bowl initialled "A+B" with a twisted baleen handle.Note: the ladle is marked with a smaller rarer standard mark intended for the Assay of Gold at Newcastle.</p> Size: 35cm long Stock Number: A869 Price: £225 |
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An exceptionally fine George III pair of silver pictureback teaspoonsRoger Hare, London, c.1765Hanoverian pattern with crowned double headed eagles to the bowls and superb delicate floral engraving to the stems, initialled "JM"Size: 11.5cm long Weight: 14dwt Stock Number: A865 Price: £520 |
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A rare George IV Colonial silver tablespoonGeorge Samuel Rankin, St George, Bermuda, c.1820-30Fiddle pattern, initialled "EF" Superb condition Size: 22cm long Weight: 1oz 19dwt Stock Number: A861 Price: £475 |
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A rare George II pair of silver sifter spoonsEbenezer Coker, London, 1759Fiddle pattern, each with matching finely pierced bowls, crested with a Cockerell. Note: the earliest recorded English Fiddle pattern spoon is 1739, made in the French taste with an upturned stem, by Issac Callard as a replacement for an imported set. Callard's spoon predated the common appearance of the pattern by some sixty years in England and any eighteenth century example is rare. These spoons are made within only twenty years of that first example and are made even more unusual in that they are sifter spoons, which in England (of this form) did not appear much before this date. Excellent condition. Size: 18.5cm long Weight: 3oz 6dwt Stock Number: A860 Price: £675 |
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An exceptionally rare George III silver teaspoonWilliam Playfair and William Wilson, London, 1783Old English shape with die struck neoclassical decoration and a raised oval cartouche, initialled "WDW" in script. Note: William Playfair was a remarkable eighteenth century figure. Born in 1759 son of a Scottish clergyman, he was first apprentice to Andrew Meikle, inventor of the agricultural threshing machine. He then became personal assistant to James Watt at the Boulton & Watt engine works in Birmingham in 1777. Five years later he moved to London to set up as a silversmith and patent the first mechanical production of flatware through a rolling method (spoons, sugar tongs etc) three years before William Darby in Sheffield. Bankrupt after only a year any example of his work is exceedingly rare. His colourful life continued in France and then back in England where he counterfeited over 100 million "Assignats" (the French Revolutionary currency) to flood France and destabilise their economy, which was a great success though he never really received proper credit for his efforts. He is best remembered today as the inventor of the Pie Chart. Size: 13cm long Weight: 10dwt Stock Number: A859 Price: £475 |
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A Charles I Provincial silver Seal Top spoonChristopher Watson, Hull, c.1630-40the fig shaped bowl with a tapering stem and a baluster Seal Top finial retaining traces of gilding. Initialled "M over RA" to the reverse of the bowl. Maker's mark struck once to the bowl and again to the reverse of the stem alongside the early "H" town mark for HullSize: 16.5cm long Weight: 1oz 5dwt Stock Number: A849 Price: £6,700 |
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Huguenot Interest: A very fine George II silver salverPaul Crespin, London, 1744shaped circular with a tied reeded rim interspersed with rocaille shells, engraved with a fine period Armorial within a foliate rococo cartouche, all raised on three incurved tapering bracket feet. Scratch Weight: "No.1 36=2". Paul Crespin was one of the most important Huguenot Goldsmiths working in London in the 18th century. Examples of his work can be found in all the major museums. Ranging from the domestic to the exceptional, Crespin worked to the latest French manner for an elite and discerning clientele, the salver being executed to the most fashionable, yet restrained, elegant Parisian taste of the period. Size: 33cm diameter Weight: 34oz 17dwt Stock Number: A847 Price: £5,750 |
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A Victorian silvergilt pair of lemon wedge tongs and trayFrancis Boone Thomas & Co., London 1890/2the rectangular tray with re-entrant corners together with a pair of small tongs with shaped flatend bowls, flat chased with foliate decoration throughout. Pristine ConditionNote: these have in the past been misdescribed as candle doubters but are in fact for serving lemon wedges with tea, though rare all original sets will retaining a gilt finish to protect against the action of any lemon residue. Size: the tray 8.5cm long Weight: 2oz 5dwt Stock Number: A845 Price: £375 |
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A fine George II Provincial silver punch ladleJames Kirkup, Newcastle, 1733the plain circular bowl with an everted rim and thick flared socket accommodating the original baluster turned fruitwood/lignum vitae handle.Size: 34cm long Stock Number: A843 Price: £780 |
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A very fine George II silver cream jugJohn Harvey I, London, 1744of baluster form with three cast scroll feet and a leaf capped scroll handle, interior gilt. Engraved with a Cypher (EKT) within a foliate rocaille c-scroll cartouche and also crested, scratch weight "2=18" to the base. As nice an example of the form as you could wish to find. Size: 9cm long Weight: 2oz 16dwt Stock Number: A841 Price: £475 |
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A very fine William and Mary silver patch boxmaker's mark M crowned, c.1690circular with matching deep moulded rope twist borders to the cover and base, intricately engraved with an elaborate vase of differing flowers and scrolling leaves, all centred with a Tulip. Gilt interior and a maker's mark to the base.Size: 4.5cm diameter Weight: 1oz 7dwt Stock Number: A839 Price: £1,850 |
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East Anglian interest: A fine Charles I silver seal top spoona rose struck four times, attributed to Norwich, c.1640 (possibly Arthur Hazelwood)the fig shaped bowl with tapering stem and heavy cast double baluster finial with vacant seal top, traces of original gilding. Mark of a slipped rose struck once clearly to the bowl and three times to the base of the stem. Excellent heavy gauge and a good thick bowl. Note: for a similar double baluster seal top spoon marked only with a rose and ascribed to Norwich see Bonhams, Bury St Edmunds, 22 September 2004, Lot 66. Also a similar baluster finial on a Norwich marked seal top spoon, Lawrences Crewkerne, 3 July 2018, Lot 155. Size: 17.5cm long Weight: 1oz 13dwt Stock Number: A835 Price: £2,950 |
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A very fine George II silver and mother of pearl snuff boxWilliam Lestourgeon, London, c.1730of oval form with a mother of pearl cover engraved with the figure Pulcinella from the Commedia dell'arte. Details of the costume follow the engraved designs of the character by the French Artist Nicolas Bonnart, first published in Paris c.1680. Superb original condition and of a rare small size. Size: 5.5cm long Stock Number: A831 Price: £1,250 |
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An early Swiss silver Apostle spoonpossibly Hans Conrad Waser, Zurich, c.1660the foliate engraved fig shaped bowl with a curved stem and cast Apostle finial of St John, initialled to the bowl "IAI"Size: 16cm long Weight: 19dwt Stock Number: A829 Price: £695 |
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A very fine George III Sheffield Plate tankardc.1775of tapering cylindrical form with beaded borders and an applied Neoclassical medallion depicting a classical Muse, probably Erato. The domed cover with a chased acanthus thumbpiece and gilt interior, the body crested for the Leslie familySize: 21cm high Stock Number: A825 Price: £775 |
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Chess Interest: An Important Scottish Victorian silver claret jugJ.Reid, Glasgow, 1881The "WEST OF SCOTLAND CHESS CHALLENGE CUP 1882" This is the Third Challenge cup (whose whereabouts was previously unknown). Presented by Andrew Bonar Law to the Glasgow Chess Club in 1882, This was also to serve as a model for the later National Trophy. A claret jug of ovoid form raised on a pedestal foot, with chased arabesque borders and a gilt hinged cover and acanthus capped scroll handle, chased with a central paneled border depicting all the Chess pieces in order of value from Pawn to King. Engraved with the names and dates of successive winners (Crum, Spens, Fyfe, Gilchrist, etc) from 1882 to 1891 when it was won outright by G.E.Barrier. Size: 26cm hihg Weight: 15oz6dwt Stock Number: A824 Price: £4,950 |
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West Country: An exceptionally fine and rare Queen Anne silver punch strainerHenry Tolcher of Plymouth, Exeter, c.1710-5the pierced circular bowl with twin openwork lug handles decorated with scrolls and hearts, the leopards head erased struck to one handle, maker's mark struck four times to the bowl. Superb colourSize: 16.5cm long Weight: 2oz 9dwt Stock Number: A820 Price: £3,750 |
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A Superb Victorian pair of Aestheic Movement silver napkin ringsGeorge Unite, Birmingham, 1882each circular with an acid frosted ground and very fine engraved Japanese style decoration depicting various exotic Birds and Fauna amidst asymmetric panels, in fitted silk and velvet lined leather case. Pristine condition.Size: 5cm diameter Weight: 1oz 10dwt Stock Number: A818 Price: £595 |
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An Important and extremely rare Charles I/II silver filigree travelling inkwellc.1640-60of circular form with eight small fitted blown glass wells around a central vacant aperture, the box profusely decorated with foliate scrolls, the cover superbly depicting a Falcon with an applied rim of flowers. A filigree mirror case decorated with birds and scrolls (almost certainly from the same workshop) is in the collections of the British Museum, Collection No. OA.4562.Provenance: Newbold Pacey Hall, Warwickshire. Size: 5.5cm diameter Weight: 1oz 13dwt all in Stock Number: A809 Price: £2,950 |
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A rare Charles II silver filigree comfit/patch boxc.1660-80heart shaped with a pull off cover finely decorated with foliate scrolls. The interior lined with wool to accommodate three small shells and a nineteenth century note inscribed: "Given to Augusta by G.A Knightley Horoman, Hull, 1862" Provenance: Newbold Pacey Hall, Warwickshire Size: 3.5cm long Weight: 9dwt all in Stock Number: A807 Price: £1,400 |
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Royal: A superb German silver and hardstone salt cellarCarl David Schrodel, Dresden, c.1770circular on three scroll feet, intricately pierced with openwork shells and scrolls supporting a turned hardstone liner. Inscribed to the base "FA" for Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, later Frederick Augustus I King of Saxony. Also bearing the Royal Inventories number "44" and the scratchweight "10lt 2grs"In superb original condition
Size: 8cm diameter Weight: 4oz 17dwt free Stock Number: A788 Price: £3,500 |
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A rare George III set of six silver table forksGeorge Smith III, London, 1784-5 each bearing the Duty Drawback markOld English pattern, initialled "CP" in script. Each with a superb impression of the large duty drawback mark, one of the rarest marks in British silver.Size: 20.5cm long Weight: 13oz 11dwt Stock Number: A787 Price: £2,700 |
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A very fine George II silver and coral child's rattleSandilands Drinkwater, London, c.1740profusely chased with rococo shells throughout, scrolls and flowers, with the original eight chased bells and coral teether. Exceptional original conditionSize: 15cm long Weight: 1oz 18dwt all in Stock Number: A786 Price: £2,200 |
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West Country: A rare George II provincial silver mugSamuel Wilmott, Exeter, 1727of tapering cylindrical form with a tucked in base and moulded foot, cast leaf capped scroll handle and engraved with an original Armorial. Wonderful condition and colourSize: 9.5cm high Weight: 6oz 19dwt Stock Number: A785 Price: £2,250 |
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Ballooning Interest: A unique Irish George III pair of silver sugar tongsBenjamin Tait, Dublin, 1785Old English pattern, initialled "EW". Each arm engraved with a waving figure within a Hot Air Balloon. These sugar tongs match a similar Ballooning wine label made by Tait which recorded the flight of Mr Richard Crosbie's Hot Air Balloon over the city of Dublin on the 19th January 1785. (see The Finial, Vol 29/03 Mr Crosbie's Chariot)
Size: 14.5cm long Weight: 1oz 5dwt Stock Number: A777 Price: £3,750 |
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A rare Charles II silver toilet boxFrancis Garthorne, London, c.1670-80circular with a hinged lidded cover, profusely chased with cherubs and putti amidst trees and fruiting vines.Size: 8.5cm diameter Weight: 6oz 4dwt Stock Number: A773 Price: £2,400 |
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An extremely rare Scottish Provincial George IV silver mounted cowrie shell snuff boxWilliam Stephen Ferguson, Peterhead, 1825the cowrie shell body mounted with a foliate bright cut engraved silver cover initalled "MB" and dated 1825. Note: This unrecorded version of Ferguson's mark would have been used upon his arrival in Peterhead in 1825 possibly prior to his separate "PHd" punch coming into use. A known "WF" mark is recorded in a matching elaborate cartouche, struck alongside the Peterhead town mark. Size: 8cm long Weight: 3oz 16dwt all in Stock Number: A761 Price: £P.O.A |
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An Important American Colonial set of six silver toy/child's spoonsEnos Reeves, Charleston, South Carolina, c.1770-5Old English feather edge, initialled "H". Note: Whilst English examples of eighteenth century toy spoons are uncommon, American examples rarely survive, certainly not in sets of six in pristine original condition by a very rare Charleston silversmith. Reeves also served as an Adjutant during the Revolutionary War. Size: 9cm long Weight: 17dwt Stock Number: A760 Price: £3,800 |
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A very fine George II silver snuff boxunmarked, c.1730circular with moulded and waisted sides between reeded borders, the pull-off cover finely engraved with the Arms of John, 1st Earl of Ashburnham of the County of SussexSize: 5.5cm diameter Weight: 1oz 4dwt Stock Number: A757 Price: £1,750 |
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A very rare George III Colonial silver wine labelJohn Catton, Gibraltar, c.1795-1800of canted rectangular form with a triple reeded border and titled "Madeira"Size: 4.5cm long Weight: 7dwt Stock Number: A755 Price: £900 |
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A William III silver and tortoiseshell snuff boxc.1700rectangular with a triple lug stand-away hinge. The cover finely inlaid with foliate silver wireworkSize: 8cm wide Stock Number: A752 Price: £1,750 |
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Royal: A George III silver table forkWilliam Eley and William Fearn, London, 1798Old English pattern, bearing the Royal Crest. Subsequently engraved "EDC" and "EAFs" as inventory marks for Ernst Augustus' plate firstly as Duke of Cumberland and then latterly as King of Hanover Size: 20.5cm long Weight: 2oz 6dwt Stock Number: A751 Price: £575 |
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Royal: A George III pair of silver table forksone George Smith III, London, c.1780 one Thomas Wallis II, London, 1790Fiddle and Thread pattern, each bearing the Royal Crest of the Prince of Wales, later King George IV and the later crest of a pantherSize: 20.5cm long Weight: 4oz 14dwt Stock Number: A750 Price: £475 |
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Internationl Exhibition 1862: Magnificent pair of Victorian Royal Commemorative silver fish serversMartin, Hall & Co., Sheffield, 1861-2the tines and blades superbly engraved as a Royal Commemorative for the death of Prince Albert, with a profile roundel of the Prince surmounted by all the Empire's flags supported and adorned with Angels above the Royal Coat of Arms. Never intended for use, simply as a silversmiths "Tour-de-force" at the London 1862 International Exhibition, these are one of the most magnificent pairs of silver servers ever made. Size: 36cm long Weight: 15oz 9dwt all in Stock Number: A737 Price: £4,950 |
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Royal Commemorative: A George III set of four silver salt spoonsc.1760each with cast foliate gilt shell bowls and rope-twist wirework stems applied with cast flowers and Dolphins all surmounted with Crown finials to commemorate the Coronation of King George III.Size: 10cm long Weight: 1oz 11dwt Stock Number: A729 Price: £1,500 |
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Royal: A Saxon silvergilt skippet box (seal case)Christian Heinrich Rossbach, Dresden, c.1806-18circular with a superb foliate engraved and beaded border around the Royal Saxon Coat of ArmsSize: 10cm diameter Weight: 6oz 8dwt Stock Number: A723 Price: £4.250 |
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A Scottish Provincial George III silver wine labelMilne and Campbell, Glasgow, c.1763-70of rare escutcheon ox's eye form, titled "PORT". Initialled "RD" in script to the reverse.Size: 5.5cm long Weight: 5dwt Stock Number: A720 Price: £700 |
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A very fine George III pair of silver ice spadesWilliam Eley and William Fearn, London, 1818Old English Thread pattern, each engraved with a fine Armorial. Superb condition and gauge. Size: 23cm long Weight: 6oz 16dwt Stock Number: A718 Price: £1,350 |
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A rare Regency pair of copper gilt and close plated grape shearsc.1815-20the close plated steel scissors with indistinct makers marks (possibly "SILK"), fitted with reeded copper mercuric gilt handles decorated with fruiting vines and leaves, the finger rings modelled as twisted vine branches. The combination of close plate and mercuric copper gilding is extremely rare. Provenance: Private Collection of Sheffield Plate. Size: 17cm long Stock Number: A700 Price: £95 |
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A rare George II Provincial set of eight silver teaspoonsfive James Kirkup, Newcastle, c.1750, three William Partis, Newcastle, c.1753-9Hanoverian pattern with delicate chased foliate and shell decoration, crested for Sir John Swinburne 4th Baronet Capheaton Hall.Not only is this a very rare pattern, the set shows that after Kirkup's death in 1753 some of his more illustrious clients sought out his former servant (Partis) to undertake their commissions. In this case either to extend or replace lost examples Partis made more spoons to match Kirkup's originals. Size: 12cm long Weight: 4oz 2dwt Stock Number: A678 Price: £1,250 |
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Historic Naval Interest: The Admirdal Viscount Duncan spoonsThomas Tookey, London, 1781a set of 12 tablespoons of Old English pattern with bright cut edges, engraved with the crest of Admiral 1st Viscount Duncan (1731-1804) one of the greatest British Naval heroes of the eighteenth century. Born in Dundee he served through numerous campaigns but is most famed for the action at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797 for which he was presented with the Large Naval Gold Medal and an annual pension of £3,000, then the largest ever pension awarded by the British Government. Size: 21cm long Weight: 21oz 10dwt Stock Number: A677 Price: £1,200 |
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A George II silver casterGeorge Weir, London, c.1727-9of baluster form with a finely pierced and ribbed domed cover, engraved with the period Crest of the Kirby family Weir had an unusually short working career of only 2 years but his work was highly accomplished, this caster in particular is of the heaviest gauge and identical pattern to examples produced by DeLamerie at the same period.
Size: 15cm high Weight: 8oz 3dwt Stock Number: A559 Price: £1,950 |
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A rare William III North Country dognose spoonmaker's mark II struck twice alongside an incuse fleur-de-lys, York/Leeds, c.1700Dognose pattern with a pronounced ribbed rattail to the bowl. These particular marks are recorded by Jackson on a Communion Paten in a prominent York Church, bearing the inscription "Given to Holy Trinity Church Goodramgate 1706" (Jacksons p.524) Whilst a fleur de lys mark can be found on Leeds plate of the period (which is found on some Yorkshire Church Plate), there is a mention of a 'Mr Jones of York' for whom no work has currently been found. He was fined by the Goldsmiths Company for selling substandard gold rings in 1700, precisely at the time when hallmarking had been briefly suspended in York and interim punches may have been employed. A rare example of these highly intriguing North Country marks Size: 20cm long Weight: 1oz 9dwt Stock Number: A553 Price: £2,950 |
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A George III Provincial pair of silver sugartongsThomas Wigan, Bristol, c.1770Old English Laurelled Edge, initialled at right angles to the bow 'I+H' A rare example of Bristol silver Size: 13cm long Weight: 1oz Stock Number: A550 Price: £220 |
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***Contact Details Update***New Telephone Number 07957 732938We would like to inform our customers that our contact details have now been updated. The new telephone number to call us on is: 07957 732938 Our email addresses are: or
Please note that the P.O.Box has been discontinued
Stock Number: A000 Price: On Request |
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'An Illustrated Guide to York Hallmarks 1776-1858..'published June 2010, author Michael Baggott'An Illustrated Guide to York Hallmarks 1776-1858 & A Transcript and Index of the York Assay Office Ledger 1805-1821' The book comprises a photographic guide to York hallmarks covering the period 1776-1858, a catalogue of examples of items produced by York silversmiths during this period and most importantly a Transcript and Index of the York Assay Office Ledger (1805-1821) detailing each item sent for assay over this period. The book is Hardback, A4 size, 328 pages with over 120 black and white illustrations. It is a limited editon of 100 copies. Due to size and weight postage for the book within the UK is £7.50 by Royal Mail recorded delivery. Overseas clients are requested to email us for a postage quote UPDATE: OUT OF PRINT Size: A4 Weight: - Stock Number: A127 Price: sold |
