A magnificent Hanau silver serving spoon, commemorating the 100 year anniversary of Frederick the Great (Frederick II of Prussia), whose nickname was "Der Alte Fritz" (Old Fritz). The handle of the spoon is a very detailed full length cast figure, with detail on both the back and front. Frederick is standing on a plinth with the dates "1740-1786", the dates he reigned, on top of the Imperial Prussian Eagle and Crown. The spoon bowl (also cast) is heart shaped, with decorative flowers and foliage. The spoon is excellent quality, suitable for display or use. Frederick, also Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, modernised the Prussian army and won military acclaim, so much so that even Napoleon regarded him as one of the greatest tactical geniuses of his time. J.D. Schleissner & Sohne were Hanau's "pre-eminant producer of antique style silverware in the latter 19th century (www.925-1000.com), they exhibited at the 1893 Chicago and 1904 St Louis international expositions. The hallmarks are clear, and inclu...
An important Royal silver brandy saucepan, which was given by Queen Victoria to her grandson Prince Christian Victor (Christle) of Schleswig-Holstein in 1868 as a christening present. The quality of the saucepan is excellent, it is the usual bulbous shape with a spout and turned ivory handle. It has a detachable domed lid, with a hinged projection for covering the spout, and an ivory and silver finial. The interior is gilt, it sits on a raised foot and has the traditional heart shaped join between body and handle. The saucepan and lid are both decorated with scrolling foliage and flowers, which is beautifully engraved. The lid fits snugly, the hinge is excellent, and the handle and finial are firmly secure. The saucepan is engraved "From his Grandmama Victoria R, 14 April 1868" on the front, the back has a scrolling foliate cartouche with the engraved initials "CV" below a coronet. The hallmarks are very clear, and are accompanied by the number 113 struck into the base (perhaps a pattern number?). The base al...
A magnificent silver cigarette case, of exceptional quality, one of the finest we have seen. It is rectangular, and decorated with very finely engraved scrolling foliage on a stippled background, which is most attractive. The case has a gilt interior, and the original elastic bands. The case has a circular cartouche, decorated with the Hayes family crest, an attractive lion holding a standard with the motto "Renovate Animos", translated "Renew your Courage". The original owners name, "William Andrew Hayes" is engraved underneath the crest. The hallmarks are very clear, even the clasp knob is hallmarked, a sign of quality. Deakin & Francis, who still exist today after being founded in 1786, are known for their high quality small silverware.
An antique Essex crystal brooch, set in an attractive 18 carat gold setting with rope border. The brooch contains the burgee (yacht club pennant) of the Royal London Yacht Club, with the London crest under a crown. The brooch is of extremely good quality, and is in immaculate condition. The crystal is convex, polished into a cabochon, the image itself is carved and hand painted, and the viewer is given a 3 dimensional view. The Royal London Yacht Club was founded in 1838, and is now based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The hallmarks are very clear, and include the crown and "18" indicating 18 carat gold, Chester wheatsheaf town mark, date letter gothic "S" for 1881, and makers mark R.N. The rim has additional 18 ct hallmarks, and the gold pin is also hallmarked.
An extremely rare Cape silver knife, with ivory handle and engraved on the blade "EHM from HOM". The hallmarks are extremely clear, pseudo - English duty mark and castle, with makers mark JML (mark 82 in Welz, Cape Silver). These are accompanied by another mark, some sort of device, unrecorded in Welz. The knife is very well made, good quality and a pleasing weight. The ivory handle shows good texture and a changing colour from dark to light. The knife is extremely rare, being the only known example recorded to date. The leading authority on Cape Silver Stephan Welz said "I have been unable to trace any Cape silver knives" (Cape Silver pg 73), and David Heller said "the only type of silver knife in use at the Cape seems to have been the butter knife (History of Cape Silver, pg 202). Johannes Lotter was part of the highly regarded Lotter family of Cape silversmiths, being the son of Willem and the brother of Carel.
A miniature Continental silver teapot, with a magnificent birds head spout, with lovely detail. The teapot is oval shaped, and is decorated with an attractive band of vertical leaves, with a similar pattern repeated on the lid. The lid is domed and has a ball finial. the handle is dark composite, securely attached with brass pins. The teapot is a pleasing weight and is very good quality, clearly the work of a master craftsman. The makers mark ZV is distinct and clear, this is accompanied by another partially struck mark, a shield with 3 vertical staves under a band, with dots above (a crown?). We have not identified either mark, assistance most welcome!
A Russian silver Fiddle pattern tablespoon, with very clear hallmarks, including town mark for Tallinn (now Estonia). The town mark is a shield containing 3 lions, and was used between 1842 and 1920 (Watts, Russian Silversmiths Hallmarks). The assay masters mark is very clear (YaN), the mark is recorded by Watts but unknown (pg 89). The makers mark CRH (Rubert Hermann) is very clear, he also worked in Tartu. The spoon has scripted initials "G et WP" on the front, and "H&TJ" on the back next to the hallmarks.
A set of 3 Fiddle pattern Cape silver tablespoons, which are notable for their strong colonial feel, being slightly crude in nature, and with hand hammered stems. Each spoon is slightly different, clearly each spoon was made by hand, probably in primitive conditions. The drops are also crude, and have an amateurish feel, perhaps these were made by a novice apprentice? All 3 spoons have pseudo hallmarks, date letter a, date letter B and duty head, with no makers mark. The shape of the outline of date letter B is notched on both sides, making it very distinctive - hence our attribution to Peter Clarke Daniel (mark 41, Cape Silver by Welz). Mark 41 has the 2 dateletters (a and B) together, with the duty mark - given the outline and accurrance we are pretty certain the same punches were used, but perhaps not by Peter Daniel himself. Further research is required, as we know Cape silversmiths occasionally interchanged punches amongst one another.
A Boer War silver belt buckle, with pith helmet above 2 crossed rifles with bayonets attached, surrounded by a wreath with the British national flowers (rose, thistle, shamrock and leek). The engraving is quite attractive. Unfortunately we have not been able to identify the regiment, we have seen nurse's buckles similar to this, but feel the presence of rifles makes a nursing attribution unlikely.
A set of 4 Continental (probably German or Dutch) silver teaspoons with realistically modeled Boer soldier finial, complete with beard, hat, bandolier and rifle. The spoons are 835 grade silver. The Boer finial rests on a plinth, above a 4 sided and twisted stem with traditional mask head above the join to the bowl. The spoons also have a short rat-tail. All 4 spoons are hallmarked "835" and makers mark "B2V".
A lovely antique silver oar, a rowing prize for the Weymouth Regatta of 1870. Silver oars were popular prizes at regattas during early to mid Victorian times in England. The oar has good detail, including textured blade and locking pin. The oar is engraved "Weymouth Regatta, 1870, H.B. Winter, BOW", and has small but clear and well struck hallmarks. The original box has it's retailer label, Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, Lincoln Inn. Thomas Bartlett worked from St. John street in Clerkenwell, where he specialised in gold pens (Culme, Gold and Silversmiths). The Weymouth Regatta still exists today, although now it is a sailing event, held in Weymouth Bay and Portland harbour, the sailing venue for the 2012 Olympic games. Weymouth has a current rowing club, who row Cornish pilot gigs at sea - these craft were used to take pilots out to oncoming ships in the Atlantic approaches. We imagine this prize was awarded for traditional flat water rowing on a river, probably the river Wey.
A beautiful set of 6 German Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) teaspoons, with typical sinuous lilies design. The spoons are 800 silver, and all have clear hallmarks. The makers mark of a man holding a stave is the mark of Gustav Haegermann of Burgdorf and Hannover. The set was retailed by Paul Hesse of Magdeburg (Breiteweg 64), who also stamped "Hesse" on all 6 teaspoons. The crescent and crown are the German silver marks used since 1888. The spoons are in their original box, also decorated in typical Art Nouveau or Jugendstil style.
A set of 6 Scottish Fiddle pattern teaspoons, the shape of the Fiddle typically Scottish. They are accompanied by matching sugartongs with shell bowls. The hallmarks on all 7 items are very clear. The punch outline of the JW makers mark is very unusual, having a wave shaped indentation at both sides. The punch shape is identical to unknown maker "AW" who worked between 1828 and 1843, we assume he was John Williamson's father. John Williamson worked between 1845 and 1881, so these are very early examples of his silver.
A charming Cape silver snuffbox, retangular in form, and quite small in size. It is decorated with typically Cape engraving, generally a crude series of lines and dots. The cover is quite unusual, having a central shield cartouche (engraved "MMM Le R 1851") surrounded by 2 Scottish thistles - this design is very rare on Cape silver. The surname "Le R" (possibly Le Roux?) is probably French Huguenot in origin, the Scottish thistles are a mystery. The sides of the box have a zig-zag design, the base a blank rectangular design. The interior is gilded, and the base of the interior has an engraved sunburst design. The hallmarks are on the rim of the lid, and consist of makers initials JJV surrounded by 2 acorn devices (Welz mark 159). They are quite small but clear and well struck, but given the location difficult to see. JJ Vos was one of the last 2 surviving Cape Silversmiths, he worked between 1841 and 1882 (Welz).
A Victorian silver commemorative trowel with ivory handle, of very good quality, with presentation inscription surrounded by scrolling foliage and flowers. The inscription reads "To commemorate the laying of the first stone of the New University of Cape Town by Mrs William Hawke, 28th February 1925". William Hawke of Hawke and McKinley was the architect responsible for the Groote Schuur campus of UCT, a magnificent set of buildings still in use today. UCT is ranked today as one of South Africa's leading universities. The hallmarks are very clear. Atkin Brothers was in business from 1853 to 1958, when they were taken over by CJ Vander Ltd. William Hawke and his partner W McKinley were trained and worked in the UK, Hawke worked in the London Admirality Office of Works, where he assisted with the design of the Simonstown sanatorium (now Naval Signal School). They had a flair for prize winning designs, and in 1905 they won first premium for the Cape of Good Hope University buildings (later UCT). They moved to Ca...
A sterling silver fob medallion depicting a footballer (soccer player) kicking a ball. The detail is good, and the surrounding design of laurel wreath, triangles and crown is interesting. The hallmarks are clear. The connecting ring is also hallmarked. James Fenton worked from Great Hampton Street between 1856 and 1954. Fob medallions would have been attached to a gentlemen's "Albert" (watch chain), the now make attractive necklace pendants.
A delightful Hanau silver box, the lid and sides decorated with embossed panels, including bowl of flowers, musical instruments, laurel wreath and claret jug, complete with goblet and grapes. The panels are bordered with a floral leaf design. The interior of the box is gilt. The box has a very clear set of Hanau pseudo hallmarks, which have been described as amongst the "most difficult and confusing area of silver hallmark study", as the marks were never registered and no records exist. The marks include pseudo crowned leopards head (Scheffler 538), pseudo lion passant (Scheffler 540) and pseudo dolphin (Scheffler 534). The small mark is genuine, being the Austro-Hungarian mark for imported articles between 1901 and 1921 (Tardy, pg 75). The mark, which also appears on the lid, has a capital B, indicating the city of Lienz. The Hanau silversmiths specialised in antique reproductions, generally of very good quality, so much so they often exhibited at international expositions. Gebruder Dingeldein was founded i...
A Victorian silver miniature replica of a porringer, probably intended as a toy. The porringer is typical 17th century style, with gadrooned and punched dot decoration, and scrolling handles. Daniel and John Wellby specialised in fine copies of early pieces (Pickford, Jackson's Hallmarks). The hallmarks are clear with the exception of the makers mark, which is partially worn but still identifiable.
A Hanoverian rat-tail basting spoon, of good size and weight, suitable for everyday use as a serving spoon. This spoon has the typical Hanoverian "turn-up", oval bowl and rat-tail. This example is late Victorian, an example of the Victorian practice of "reviving" earlier styles - original Hanoverian rat-tail spoons would be circa 1720. The hallmarks are clear.
Delightful Gorham Sterling nursery rhyme plate, with embossed pictures depicting scenes from nursery rhymes around the rim. Rhymes depicted include "the cat and the fiddle", "the cow jumped over the moon", "sing a song of sixpence", "4 and 20 blackbirds" and some we haven't identified (teapot, cock, spoon and bowl, teacup and rose, wolf). 31 pictures are present, with 9 different designs, repeated in a random fashion. The plate is very good quality, the embossing is superb, with very fine detail. The plate is engraved on the back "J.M.W., X mas 1885" - indicating it was a Christmas present. The initials "W.W.S." in different script are below, we assume a later owner. The hallmarks are very clear, the Gorham trademarks (Lion, Anchor and capital G), along with "Sterling" and "L93" (L is the yearmark for 1879). This beautiful antique silver Gorham plate would make an ideal Christening present.
