A good quality antique silver replica of what is commonly referred to as "The Tudor Cup", which became famous when it was sold (as part of the Dunn-Gardner collection) at Christies auction in 1901 for GBP 4100, the highest price ever paid for a piece of silver at that time. John Dunn-Gardner, of Soham Manor, had a legendary collection of silver, the sale covered 6 volumes. The original cup of 1521, with scallop shell makers mark, is also known as the Holms cup, named after a previous owner. The original cup is now part of the collection of the Royal Scottish Museum, who purchased it in 1958 for GBP 9500. The museum's resources were augmented by the National Art Collection's fund, the Pilgrim Trust, the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, H.M. Treasury and 2 private donors, enabling the cup to be kept in Great Britian (Ian Finlay, Silver in the Royal Scottish Museum, Connoisseur June 1959), where the original cup is pictured. The original cup is also pictured in the book "Old London Silver" by Howard (pg 100). ...

A rare pair of Scottish Provincial gravy (or serving or basting) spoons in the Oar pattern, which is a scarce variant of Fiddle pattern (Fiddle without shoulders), only found in Scotland (Pickford, Silver Flatware, pg. 111). Both spoons are engraved in contempory style with the letter "M", and are in such lovely condition that they do not appear to have been used (note the lovely spoon tips). Both have clear Scottish Provincial hallmarks, makers mark RK struck 3 times, and the Perth double headed eagle town mark struck twice. Robert Keay worked in Perth between 1791 and 1825, from the style of these spoons they were made between 1800 and 1805, when Oar pattern was popular in Scotland. A very similar gravy spoon, also by Robert Keay of Perth, is depicted in Ian Pickford's Silver Flatware book, figure 145, pg. 111.

A set of 5 Cape Silver tablespoons in the Fiddle pattern, with initials GHJ which are clearly engraved. The sppons have a chamfered edge (very Continental in style), and all 5 spoons have clear hallmarks (Welz mark 135). The marks include crowned leopards head, date letter a, duty mark and lion passant.

A lovely antique silver child's porringer, in traditional Queen Anne style, although it was made in Georgian times. The porringer has a central cartouche with script initials MB, which are Victorian in style so would have been added by a later owner. The porringer is decorated with curved lobes and flutes, and the cartouche is surrounded by foliage. The porringer also has punched floral decoration, and the S shaped handles are banded. The gauge is quite thin, more suited for display than for use. The base of the porringer is engraved "RB over IG, 1769", in contemporary engraving, indicating the porringer could have originally been a wedding present, or a christening present for a child born the following year. Porringers of the small (child's size) size are quite rare, few have survived. The hallmarks are very clear, and although the makers mark punch has some wear, it is still legible.

An early Georgian silver rat-tail Hanoverian tablespoon, with a pronounced rib on the front of the stem, and oval bowl, as is usual for early Hanoverians. The spoon also has two lovely family crests (correctly engraved on the back of the stem), the first is a snake twisting around a pillar, the second a raised fist holding wheatsheaves, with crosses in the background. The rat-tail pattern first appeared in 1710, the rat-tail disappeared from Hanoverians in 1730. The spoon also has very clear bottom marked hallmarks, including a very clear makers mark (RO under stags head) for Nathaniel Roe. This is a rare mark, it is not recorded in Jackson, and the mark in Grimwade (mark 2396) was a poor impression, largely conjectural, and was undated by Grimwade. The mark is recorded by Wyler (pg 148). Roe was a largeworker who worked in London between 1710 and 1717, when his newly born son died aged 4 days. He then left London for Norwich, where he continued work as a silversmith. He became Sherriff of Norwich in 1737.

A Spanish silver porringer, inset with a Spanish eight reale coin (one of the famous "pieces of eight") dated 1618, the reign of Philip III (1578-1621). The porringer is hand beaten, with the individual hammer marks clearly visible, creating an attractive pattern. The rim is folded over, and the cast flat handle has a scrolling design. The handle is quite crudely cast, we believe a sign of age. We have dated the porringer 17th century to co-incide with the date of the coin, but it could be later, with an old coin inset. The coin is well preserved on both sides. The reverse reads "Hispania RVM REX 1618" (King of the Spanish), with 2 castles and lion rampants in quatrefoil design (Arms of Castile & Leon). The obverse has the crowned Hapsburg shield, with the Segovia aqueduct mint mark and assayer initial A to the left, and VIII (8 reales) demarcation to the right. It reads "Philippus III DG". The porringer has 4 hallmarks, but given their proximity to the rim are only partially struck, so they are not clearly ...

A pair of Indian Colonial silver salt and pepper castors, cylindrical in shape standing on a raised circular foot, with removable dome shaped lids. Each castor has 3 gadrooned rims, and retain their original engraving "salt" and "pepper". The pepper castor has smaller holes in a different pattern (salt having larger holes for shaking), the pepper also has its original interior gilding. A similar pair is depicted on page 152 of "Indian Colonial Silver" by Wilkinson, who describes their shape and design as being unique to Indian Colonial silver (pg 165). The hallmarks include makers mark TB&Co, 2 pseudo marks (crowned lion passant and lion rampant holding a crown, pg 155 Wilkinson). The lion rampant mark is a reproduction of the crest of the HEIC (Honorable East India Company), which may have indicated official patronage (Wilkinson, pg 155). Twentyman & Beck, who worked between 1822 and 1826 from 4 Tank Square, Calcutta, were also the only Indian Colonial firm to use a crowned lion passant. The 2 castors also h...

A lovely example of an American souvenir spoon, which were very popular at the turn of the 20th century, and one of the finest we have encountered. The spoon depicts a Canadian Indian, complete with bow and arrows, tomahawk, feather headdress, Canada ribbon, and delightfully detailed moccasins. This is a rare spoon, the Indian here is not depicted in "Collectible Souvenir Spoons", the authority on souvenir spoons, by Wayne Bednersh. The spoon bowl depicts Brandon College, Brandon, Manitoba, and the Indian figure is holding the enamelled Royal Coat of Arms of the UK, with quarters of England, Scotland and Ireland, under the Royal Crown. This was used in Canada prior to the confederation in 1867, so it is a little mysterious why a Canadian spoon from 1900 is still using these arms. Brandon College was founded in 1899 as a Baptist institution, and was completed in 1901, this spoon would have commemorated the opening. Over 200 students of Brandon College fought during WWI, 2 were awarded the Victoria Cross. Brand...

A rare Scottish Provincial pointed end tablespoon, with excellent hallmarks by a scarce maker. The spoon has script initial M (contempory) above the number 8, we assume its position in its original set. The spoon has some overall wear, but is a good weight, still a lovely spoon. Pointed end spoons are uniquely Scottish, the style was never adopted in England. The hallmarks are well struck and very clear, makers mark S.L struck twice, with the Dundee pot of lilies and date letter m. Similar makers can be seen on lot 190, Woolley & Wallis sale of a private collection of Scottish Provincial Flatware, January 2009.

A unique antique silver letter opener, with 3 gold sovereigns set in the handle, which has an attractive open scrollwork design, with a central silver ball. The handle fits well into the hand, it feels similar to holding a sword or dagger! The opener is good quality and is a good weight. Two sovereigns are Victorian (dated 1854 and 1879) and one is Edwardian (dated 1904). The sovereigns are aligned by the date letters, all at the base on the same side, indicating the date has significance. The dates are all 25 years apart, so we assume the opener was specially commissioned to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary, which is traditionally celebrated with gold. The couple would have married in 1854, celebrated their 25th anniversary in 1879, and their golden anniversary in 1904. We cannot imagine a nicer golden wedding anniversary present! The hallmarks are clear. Andrew Barrett & Sons worked at 63 Piccadilly between 1844 and 1970. The sovereigns are also in fine condition, they are 22 millimetres in diameter, an...

Lovely elegant set of Art Deco coffee spoons, with striking finials, long handles and a right angle between stem and bowl. The hallmarks are clear on all spoons. Interesting to note these spoons were made in 1943, during the middle of the second world war. The well known firm of Dixon and Sons, which was formed in 1806, still exists today.

A set of 2 Cape silver Fiddle pattern tablespoons, by a lesser known Cape silversmith whose work does not appear very often. The spoons are a slightly different length (being handmade) and have similar but different hallmarks, so they were probably made at different times. Both have makers mark DC in between two floral or star devices, but both the makers mark and devices have differences, indicating they were struck by different punches. One DC makers mark has separate DC, the other DC appears to be cojoined. The floral or star device was used by a number of Cape silversmiths, including Beets, Hockly, Lotter, Townsend, Twentyman and Vos. The makers mark DC between 2 stars is depicted in Heller's Cape Silver Vol 2 (pg 122), where it is shown as mark NMM15.

A rare pair of Chinese Export silver Fiddle pattern tablespoons, with a good set of pseudo-English hallmarks. The hallmarks include pseudo sterling lion, pseudo crowned leopard's head, makers mark YS and pseudo Georgian duty mark. One spoon has excellent marks, with good detail, the other spoon marks are still good, but have some wear. Chinese Export silver is "stylistically Anglo-American, of the late Georgian period, of fine workmanship and exceptionally heavy weight" - (Kernan, China Trade Silver - Checklists for Collectors Nov 1965) - these spoons are no exception. The website www.chineseexportsilver.com also notes that "Yatshing silver is always of a high standard".

A magnificent dessert sized spoon with the Goddess Nike standing on a pedestal with the initials "JERC", in script initials. Nike is the Greek winged Goddess of victory, strength and speed, she appears on the back of every Olympic medal. The detail of the Nike casting is excellent, this is a spoon of exceptional quality, as you would expect from Garrard. The hallmarks are very clear. The firm of R&S Garrard & Co (Garrard's), which began life in 1722 and still exists today, is famed for it's exceptional silver of very good quality. Garrard's were Crown Jewellers for much of their history, they lost the Royal warrant in 2007. Re the script initials, we assume they belong to a sports club, perhaps a rowing or rugby club? - we would welcome opinion's or corrections.

A set of 8 Fiddle pattern Russian silver teaspoons, with engraved contempory initial W, by the famous maker Sazikov. The spoons are of exceptional quality, and are in excellent condition, with perfectly preserved tips, and no scratches or dents at all. Sazikov was founded in 1793 by Pavel Sazikov, they received the Imperial warrant in 1846, meaning they were one of a few select firms chosen to supply the Russian Imperial family. All 8 teaspoons carry the Imperial Warrant double headed eagle hallmark, which is well struck. Sazikov produced very high quality silver until the Russian revolution of 1917, the firm being run first by Pavel's son Ignaty, later by Ignaty's sons Pavel and Sergei (Watts, Russian Silversmiths Hallmarks, pg 27). The hallmarks are very clear, and in addition to the Imperial eagle include Sazikov makers mark in Cyrillic, assay masters mark B.C. for Victor Savinkov, date letter 1862, standard mark 84 (zolotniks) and city mark for Moscow (St George killing dragon).

A lovely pair of collectable Sampson Mordan silver owls, for use as place or menu holders. The owls have lovely detail, and the hallmarks are very clear on both. Each owl is lovely quality, as is usual for Mordan items. Each owl has 2 original amber glass eyes, each with a small and large pupil. Sampson Mordan became famous for producing high quality, innovative novelty items, which enjoyed wide appeal. The firm existed between 1823 and 1941.

A 9 carat gold and enamel RAF (Royal Air Force) sweetheart brooch, beautifully preserved in its original box. The pin and box are both very good quality, the pin has lovely detail. The pin is stamped ? CT gold, the number is obscured, we assume it is 9 carat. The gold in the RAF lettering has a red colour, which contrasts nicely against the yellow gold wings and red and green enamel. The retailer was "T&J Perry Ltd, Jewellers & Silversmiths, 124 Regent St W".

A set of 6 Cape Silver tablespoons in the Fiddle pattern, with initials CIH over WAM. The initials CIH are older, the have more wear than the WAM initials, which would have been added later after a change of ownership of the spoons. All 6 spoons have excellent hallmarks, makers mark FW with the "Cape Stub" pseudo English hallmarks (see article on the Cape Stub in our articles section).

A lovely pair of decorative Hanau silver Christening (or anointing) spoons, with an Apostle carrying a baby standing on a winged cherub's head. The stems are twisted, the base decorated with a peacock eating fruit, above a face. The back of the bowls are richly decorated with a diamond pattern and scrolling foliage, and the spoons have a rat tail. The spoons are cast, and as such are quite solid, with a pleasing weight. As is usual with Hanau silver, they are replica's of fine 17th century German silver. The spoons, which have no Hanau hallmarks, were imported into Britian in 1889 by David Bridge of the firm John Smith & Co, as can be seen by makers mark D.B and capital F (hallmark for foreign silver, used between 1867 and 1903). The spoons also have date letter O for 1889. The hallmarks on both spoons are very clear. John Smith & Co. imported a great deal of decorative silver into Britian, much of which was of German origin, presumably Hanau (Culme, Gold and silversmiths).

Basting spoon that was made in Bristol but hallmarked in Exeter. The spoon is a good weight, and has no wear in the bowl. The hallmarks are extremely clear, even including the workman's tallymark. A lovely spoon, ideal for use as a serving spoon. William Woodman of Bristol were one of England's largest flatware producers in their day.

An antique silver picture frame, in Art Nouveau form, depicting 3 farm workers in the fields cutting hay with scythes, with a village church in the background, with the motto "Peace hath her victories, Milton". The quote by Milton (1608-1674) apparently in a letter to Lord General Cromwell, is the first line of a sonnet "Peace hath her victories, no less renowned than war". This line is amongst the most remembered of Milton's work. The hallmarks are small but clear, and the frame also has a registration number (to protect the design being copied). This frame has a new black velvet backing professionally done, the original velvet backings on these antique picture frames is often in very poor condition. With the new backing, this frame is suitable for daily use and display.

A set of 4 Cape Silver dessert spoons in the Fiddle pattern, with initials ACI clearly engraved on each spoon. The spoons have pseudo English hallmarks (duty mark, castle and date letter C), this is mark 139 from Welz (Cape Silver). No makers mark is present, but we can be confident the maker is Lawrence Twentyman, as he was the only Cape silversmith to use these particular hallmarks. The hallmarks are clear on all 4 spoons.

A magnificent Cape silver gravy (also called basting or serving) spoon, in the Kings pattern, double struck with diamond heel. It has a lovely weight and is very good quality, this is one of the most substantial Cape silver spoons we have seen, and is suitable for regular use - in fact a spoon anyone would enjoy using. The hallmarks are very clear, makers mark LT for Lawrence Twentyman, and pseudo English hallmarks (leopards head, duty mark, date letter a and lion) - Welz mark 135, but in a different order. Twentyman was the most prolific of all Cape silversmiths, he had the first shop on Heerengracht (now Adderley Street) with a shop window. He worked between 1818 and 1837.

A set of five Cape silver tableforks in the Fiddle pattern, by the well regarded Cape silversmith Johannes Combrink. This set matches the 6 forks (item S 1480), and has the same engraved initials "FtW", and is by the same maker. The hallmarks are excellent on all 5 forks, makers mark IC and the Cape Stub mark (4 pseudo English marks struck together). This is mark 39 in Cape Silver by Welz, and includes lion passant, date letter A, duty mark and leopards head.

An extremely rare child's puritan spoon, dating back to the Commonwealth period, when Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of England. The spoon has a flat stem with straight sides, and a curved spade shaped bowl. The spoon also has a small V shaped drop. The puritan spoon replaced the slip-top spoon (with hexagonal stem and fig shaped bowl) during the early Commonwealth period, and gained it's name from Cromwell's Puritan soldiers opposed to King Charles I, who considered the more elaborate Apostle spoons "irreverant" (Gask, Old Silver Spoons of England, pg 92). Given that so much silver was melted down during and after the English civil war, Puritan spoons are rare, and the smaller children's puritan spoons are extremely rare. A very similar spoon to this, described as "Rare Charles I child's puritan spoon, 1646, exhibited in Cardiff Museum" was sold as lot 35 of the famous "Alexander James Collection of Early English Silver Spoons", Phillips 1979, with an estimate of GBP 500-600. Steven Venables worked in L...

An attractive and dainty Georgian silver vinaigrette of very small dimensions, definitely made for a lady. It is engraved with a Scottish thistle on the base, and has a plain but decorative grill. The lid has a tiny cartouche surrounded by leaves in an oval design, the engraving is pretty but a bit chunky. The gilded grill has an unusual pierced pattern, done by hand, and the original sponge is still present. The hallmarks are very clear on both the lid and base, the grill is also hallmarked. Poole (Identifying Antique British Silver) identifies Bettridge working between 1817 and 1834, as this box is 1837 those dates must be considered erroneous. Bettridge is known for his fine quality silver boxes.

A set of Cape silver tableforks in the Fiddle pattern, by the well known Cape silversmith Johannes Combrink. The forks are engraved with the initials "FtW", which is attractively engraved. The forks are good quality and a pleasing weight, they are suitable for use. The hallmarks on all 6 forks are clear. Four forks have makers mark IC only (Welz mark 31 in Cape Silver), two have makers mark IC between 2 ladder devices (Welz mark 33). Johannes Combrink was born in the Cape in 1781, he married Aurelia Lotter in 1807 and died in 1853. He worked from Dorp Street.

A rare Cape silver berry teaspoon, in the Fiddle pattern, with gilded berried bowl and decorated handle. The spoon must be well travelled in it's early life, as the spoon was made in Cape Town circa 1830, and probably "berried" in London in mid to late Victorian times, when the practice of "berrying" was popular (this practice is unknown in Cape silver). Plain Georgian silver spoons were embossed and chased with fruit and foliate scrolls (Pickford, Silver Flatware, pg 70), and the bowl was gilded to complete the effect. The hallmarks are very clear, makers mark FW and pseudo English hallmarks (leopards head, date letter a, duty mark and lion passant), these are mark 163 (Cape silver by Welz). These are the same punches used earlier by Twentyman, Waldek took over Twentyman's shop and workshop in 1836.

A gorgeous Tiffany silver card case, with a very attractive and unusual fan shaped textured pattern, with dark and light bands radiating from the clasp. The surface is also textured, with lines and tiny hand hammered bumps radiating out in the same pattern. The hinge is spring loaded, and the clasp is a joy, superbly crafted with a satisfying click on closure. The interior is highly polished, giving a mirror like effect. The case is exceptional quality, clearly the work of a master craftsman. The origianl purpose of the case is unclear, it is too small for cigarettes (although it could hold the smaller hand made variety), it could also have been a compact. It is ideal for business cards, and could also accommodate photographs. The hallmarks are clear, "Tiffany & Co, 925 Sterling Italy", made during a time when Tiffany employed Italian craftsmen. With its wonderful quality, texture and pattern, this case is a joy to handle, you become reluctant to put it down!

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 Arts and Crafts Swedish silver sugar bowl with lid, with circular hand hammered body on a raised circular foot, the lid with a ring finial. It is a simple but beautiful design, and is a very good weight and excellent quality. The hallmarks are very clear, having been protected by the raised foot. They include the Swedish State mark (3 crowns) and 830 silver standard (S in hexagon), Goteborg city mark (crowned G), date letter for 1962 (M9) and sponsors mark for Thore Eldh (SFS). Thore Eldh was a highly regarded Swedish designer who worked between 1935 and 1967. In addition to the hallmarks, the bowl is stamped "Cecilia" in script form, we assume a pattern name.

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.

A pair of Fiddle pattern toddy ladles, along with an Old English example, but all made by the same maker in the same year. Given Edinburgh hallmarks, the maker WC could be confused with William Cunningham of Edinburgh, but his makers mark is always in a shaped cartouche. The hallmarks on on all 3 are very clear. Note the switching of the order of the duty mark on the pair.

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 rare Scottish provincial teaspoon from Dumfries, in the Old English pattern. The hallmarks include a fowled anchor, X, crown and MH (small) makers mark. The hallmarks have some wear but are still clearly visible, makers mark is very clear.

A rare Irish provincial silver toddy ladle made in Cork, but hallmarked in Dublin. The ladle is circular with a lip for pouring, and has a whale bone handle. The ladle is beautifully decorated, with embossed flowers, leaves and scrolls, on a stippled background. The pouring lip is decorated with a "sunburst" collar. The decoration is typical of the Irish silver of the 1820 period, with floral repousse (embossing) on a background stippled to a matt finish (Bennett, Collecting Irish Silver, pg 79). The whalebone handle is 4 sided, and has an unusual knop end, the circular knob set above silver banded decoration. The hallmarks are all very clear, including makers mark PG in oval outline (Cork mark no. 80 in Bennett). The Dublin Goldsmiths company passed an act in 1807 requiring the Kings head to be stamped on all plate made in Ireland. As this could only be done in Dublin, it forced the provincial goldsmiths to start sending silver to Dublin for hallmarking. Garde, who worked in Cork between 1812 and 1845, appe...

A rare set of 6 Scottish Provincial teaspoons, with engraved initial J. They are an unusual pattern, Fiddle without shoulders, and the edges are bevelled. Each spoon is slightly different, clearly each spoon has been made individually by hand. Each spoon is hallmarked with 3 "pot of lilies" followed by makers mark WC. The marks on 3 spoons are excellent, well struck and very clear, on 2 the bottom right hand corner is not visible, and on 1 spoon the marks are partially visible (but the pot of lilies still clearly visible) - as is often found with makers individually struck by hand. The pot of lilies townmark (azure a pot of growing lilies argent) is taken from the arms of the Burgh of Dundee (Jackson pg 598). Each pot has 3 lilies and 2 handles clearly visible.

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 rare Colonial silver salt spoon, in the Fiddle pattern. The spoon is struck twice with makers mark INCE, which is very distinct. The spoon is quite crudely made, slightly out of shape, it appears hand made in primitive conditions - hence our attribution to Colonial (possibly one of the smaller colonies, this spoon appears more primitive than those we see from the better known colonies). The makers mark INCE is recorded by Turner as unascribed Scottish Provincial (Directory of Scottish Provincial Silversmiths, pg 84), perhaps a tinker? Given the crudeness of manufacture we prefer a Colonial origin - all suggestions welcome!

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 well modelled silver equestrian medal, showing a horse rider with hounds on the front, and 3 horses in a field with a tree on the rear. It reads "Hunters Improvement and National, Light Horse Breeding Society, 1932". The medallion was modelled by Frank Hyams Ld, as indicated by his signature.

A Scottish provincial silver toddy ladle in the Fiddle pattern, with engraved initial W. The maker is William Fillan & Co. of Aberdeen, Fillan worked between 1829 and 1849 (thanks to Robert Massart who supplied this information). The hallmarks are clear. At this time Scottish provincial silversmiths were required to send their silver to Edinburgh for hallmarking, to ensure duty was paid.

A set of 24 original copper or bronze Roman coins, most of which are AE antoninianus, with the Emperor wearing a radiate crown, commonly called the "barbarous radiate" (Sear, Roman Coins, pg 11). The condition and detail of the coins varies, most show enough detail to determine the Roman Emperor and the deities on the reverse, with the accompaning script. The coins were classified by a collector, using "Roman Coins and their Values, David Sear", as follows: 1. 3080- Tetricus I, AD 270-273 2. 3095- Claudius II Gothicus, 268-270 3. 3119- Claudius II Gothicus 4. 3516- Maximianus, 286-310 5. 3540- Maximianus 6. 3760- Constantine I 307-337 7. 3773- Constantine I (2 coins) 9. 3780- Constantine I (2 coins) 11. 3781- Constantine I 12. 3783- Constantine I 13. 3821- Crispus 317-326 14. 3851- Constantine II 337-340 15. 3900- Constantius II 337-361 16. 3910- Constantius II (2 coins) 18. 3918- Magnentius 350-353 19. 4002- Valentinian I 364-375 20. 4017- Valens 364-378 21. 4018- Valens 22. 4133- Arcadius...

A lovely and early George II double lipped punch ladle, with twisted whalebone handle, of extremely good quality. It is a good gauge and weight, much heavier than many we have seen. The bowl is fluted and is a generous size, and is joined to the handle with a double scroll. The base of the ladle is engraved "G over J+E", the engraving is contemporary and done by hand. The hallmarks are clear, and include the unregistered makers mark EA (Grimwade 3534) with 2 dots above and 1 below. Whalebone was heated under pressure with steam until malleable, and then twisted into ornate spirals, which hardened and retained their design after cooling (Helliwell, Collecting Small Silverware, pg 76). Aldridge worked between 1724 and 1765 in Foster Lane. He was tried at the investigation of the Goldsmith's Company for counterfeiting marks in 1742, but was acquitted by the jury (Grimwade pg 421).

An original antique silver Wembley badge, depicting the Wembley lion in silver set in tortoiseshell, with silver rim. Wembley, "The home of Legends", is amongst the most famous football stadiums in the world. This badge would have been made to commemorate the opening of Wembley by King George V in 1924. The Wembley lion, designed by Herrick in Egyptian style, was the symbol of the British Empire Exhibition of 1924 - the "Lion of Industry". Collett & Anderson were known for producing silver and tortoiseshell badges and brooches. The hallmarks are clear.

American coin silver tablespoon in the Old English pattern, with "long drop" usually associated with earlier Hanoverian pattern spoons. The tablespoon has the initials RB crudely engraved with an interesting device between them, quite attractive overall, has a Colonial feel. "Coin silver" refers to silver produced from coins, which applies to all American silver prior to 1865, when silversmiths started using the higher grade "Sterling" standard. Samuel Alexander worked at South Second Street between 1797 and 1808 (Ensko, American Silversmiths), first alone, then in partnership with Christian Wiltberger (Wiltberger & Alexander). The spoon has a"colonial" feel, the quality not quite what you would expect from English spoons of the period.

A Boer War "sweetheart brooch" in 15 carat gold, so we assume the sweetheart was an officer. The brooch carries the badge of an Infantry Regiment, the 19th (County of London) Battalion, St Pancras. It is engraved "South Africa, 1899 - 1902". The gold has a reddish colour, whcih contrasts well with the red and blue enamel. It is lovely quality, even the clasp and pin are in 15 ct gold. Both the brooch and pin are stamped "15ct", these are the only hallmarks. 15 ct gold was only used in Britian between 1854 and 1932, when the 15 ct and 12 ct standards were replaced by 14 carat.

A Scottish provincial antique silver toddy ladle, in the Fiddle pattern, engraved with script initials TIR. The bowl is quite wide (5.0 cm) and oval in shape. The hallmarks are very clear and well struck, makers mark R&S and the A,B and D of Aberdeen struck separately. Middleton Rettie and Sons worked in Aberdeen between 1824 and 1891, they are known for their very fine silver.

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 collectable antique silver fob medallion depicting a footballer kicking a ball, and engraved "C.R.F.U., Second Team, 1905". The footballer has a beaded border, set on medallion shaped fob with flying scrolls. The hallmarks are clear. CRFU today stands for "Cornwall Rugby Football Union", but given the round ball we feel this was more likely a football rather than rugby club. Charles Winter worked between 1904 and 1911, first at Soho Metal Works and later at Soho Scientific Instrument Co. (Culme, Gold and Silversmiths).

A Scottish provincial Fiddle pattern dessert spoon, made by John Urquhart of Perth. The spoon has script initials L. Whilst the spoon bowl is disappointing, the hallmarks are very well struck and very clear. The Perth town mark (imperial double headed eagle displayed) is taken from the arms of the Burgh (Jackson, pg 613). The hallmarks include makers mark JU, double headed eagle, JU, double headed eagle, S (in an unusual shoreform shaped punch - Poole), having a noticeable indent away from base. These marks are fairly rare, indeed the makers mark and S are not included in Jackson (pg 614). Perth is the former capital of Scotland.

A magnificent silver gilt snuffbox with a superb finely detailed battle scene. The gilding on the battle scene has different tones, the base has a deeper rich red tinge, this fades to a lighter yellow gold colour in the sky. The box is exceptional quality and a pleasing weight. The sides and rim are richly decorated with cast flowers and thistles, which leads us to believe it is possibly a Scottish battle scene (we welcome opinions!). The battle is being fought with swords, battleaxes, lances, shields, armour and horses, no sign of firearms. The detail includes a castle in the background, flags, finely detailed armour and armorials on the shield - the work of a master craftsman. The base is engine turned, and has a blank cartouche. The interior lid is engraved "Presented to Thomas Ogilvy Esqr, by the New Quay Company of Manchester, as a mark of their gratitude, for his great attention & trouble as arbiter, in the investigation of the disputed claim, made on them by Messrs Francis Philips & Sons, 1829". The en...

A lovely blue and white enamel and silver buckle of very good quality, in a circular floral shape. The buckle has a separate silver loop for attachment, and 4 matching silver and enamel buttons, complete with fastening attachment. The buckle is fully hallmarked with clear hallmarks, the buttons are all stamped "Sterling", probably of continental origin. Levi and Salaman were known for their souvenir spoons and enamel novelties and jewellery.

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 silver quaich of traditional shape, with 2 flat lug handles, and quite a large size. It is quite plain, which accentuates its lovely shape. The base is engraved "H.H. Plante, 12 Bury St, St James, S.W.", and the hallmarks are very clear. Quaiches are traditional Scottish drinking vessels, one's this size were passed around at ceremonial occasions. They are popular christening gifts in Scotland. The firm of H.H. Plante (Henry Hudson Plante) worked between 1907 and 1980.

A Scottish provincial antique silver toddy ladle, Fiddle pattern with engraved initial L, and long elegant handle (longer than most toddy ladles). The hallmarks are very clear, AC, C, thistle, pot of lilies, AC. Alexander Cameron added the thistle mark to the Dundee pot of lilies in the early 19th century, after the manner of Edinburgh marks (Jackson, pg 599).

A lovely set of 6 cast silver buttons, with a realistically modelled kingfisher in flight, surrounded by flowers and foliage. It appears each button was cast individually by hand, as the details in each is slightly different. Each button is fully hallmarked, but of interest is that the hallmarks are struck in different places, and some are partially obscured. William Walter worked between 1897 and 1906, and was based in Newgate St, London. They supplied high quality jewellery and silver smalls.

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 Scottish provincial toddy ladle, made by David Gray of Dumfries, but with Edinburgh hallmarks for 1818. The ladle is Fiddle pattern, and has a beautiful crest of a crowned swan, standing with wings outstretched, with motto "Be Mindful". The hallmarks are very clear, including triple cusp duty mark. The D of the makers mark appears to overstrike a P, but the G is very clear. The ladle also has a small heart shaped journeyman's mark.

An early George II silver punch ladle, with "goose egg" bowl, and twisted whalebone handle (with silver tip). The goose egg bowl is plain, but has a lovely texture as the individual hammer marks are visible all over the bowl. The join is the traditional heart shape, and the handle is securely fastened to the bowl.The early George II goose egg ladles are quite rare, having been made for only a short period (1735 - 1740). It is also unusual to find one in such good condition, the handles are often loose or damaged. The hallmarks are clear, but the date letter e and makers mark GJ are partially struck, but still discernable. The ladle has a 5th hallmark, the Dutch script letter I, which is a tax mark for silver items in the Netherlands not bearing an older tax mark. This indicates the ladle passed through the Netherlands at some stage.

A beautiful Tiffany sterling silver Berry spoon, in the Flemish pattern, with notched scroll end finial, and rat-tail. The spoon is a lovely shape, with the bowl at right angles to the stem. The shape of the spoon is also described as a casserole spoon, indeed it is suitable as a serving spoon. It is a good weight and lovely quality, and is still in its original felt bag, marked "Tiffany & Co, Paris, New York, London". The hallmarks are very clear, "Tiffany & Co Sterling PAT 1011M". The M date stamp indicates a date between 1907 and 1947, when John C. Moore II was president. The Flemish pattern was issued in 1911, hence we can date the spoon to between 1911 and 1947.

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 Scottish provincial silver toddy ladle, made in Inverness by Donald Fraser, but hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1830. The ladle is Fiddle pattern and is plain. The hallmarks are very clear, including a large makers mark D.F.

A Georgian silver Christening mug, in the shape of a barrel, decorated with reeded bands. The interior is gilt, and the handle is also decorated with reeded bands. This type of Christening mug was popular between 1800 and 1820 (Waldron, Price Guide to Antique Silver, pg 190). The hallmarks are clear with the exception of the makers mark, which is only partially visible. The first letter T is clear, but the second letter is worn (could be D, P or R).

A lovely silver belt buckle, decorated with a mother of pearl flower with purple, white and orange colours, which change colour as it catches the light. The buckle is also engraved with leaves and flowers in bright cut fashion. The buckle has Birmingham hallmarks, with makers or retailers mark "FHA Ld" overstriking other marks, including the date letter. FH Adams used this mark between 1908 and 1915, they worked from New John Street. Given the style of decoration and lovely mother of pearl work, it is possible the buckle is continental in origin, and received Birmingham marks after import into Britian.

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.

An attractive pair of French Silver grapefruit spoons, with double shell and foliage pattern. These spoons have extremely rare and strange hallmarks. The first is the Giraffe's head Recense mark (Poincon de recense) for Paris, only used between May and October 1838, a period during which the hallmarking system was being changed. It was applied to verify authenticity of marks for the interim period. In addition, th spoons have the Paris assay office mark (medium, 1819-1838), and one spoon has the Paris silver standard 1 (950 grade), whilst the other has the Paris silver standard 2 (800 grade), which as the spoons are identical in every other respect by the same maker, must be an error by the assay master during a confused period. The spoons also have additional marks alongside the makers mark which we have not identified (see photo).

A lovely commemorative Scottish silver box, beautifully engraved on the lid with 3 different armorials. The sides of the box are decorated with an attractive flower, leaf and bow design, and the interior is silver gilt. The inscription reads "From Friends at Archers Hall to Charles Stewart, Match Secretary, 1891-1901, 22nd October 1901." Archers Hall was built in 1777 for the Royal Company of Archers, the oldest surviving company of longbowmen in Britain. Today a private club, they provide the bodyguard for the sovereign in Scotland (ceremonial today). Members must be Scottish, and are drawn from politicians, military officers and nobility. They compete annually for the "Edinburgh Arrow". The central coat of arms, with motto "Nobilis Ira" (Noble Wrath), has the shield topped with Peers helmet and demi lion rampant. This is the coat of arms of the Stewarts. The armorial to the left is the Royal coat of arms as used in Scotland, but unusually with the English motto "Dieu et Mon Droit" (God and my Right). The 3...

A Georgian silver baluster Christening mug, embossed with a delightful scene of a child sitting with a squirrel under trees, with a butterfly hovering overhead. Additional decoration includes a variety of flowers and scrolling foliage. The double scroll handle is capped with an acanthus leaf scroll, and the spreading base is gadrooned. The mug is engraved "EW, The Gift of his Grandmother, Mrs Walton", and the interior is gilded. Joseph Angell I was the first member of the Angell family of silversmiths, described by Pickford as "very fine 19th century family of goldsmiths" (Jacksons hallmarks). The makers mark, lion and London town mark are very clear, the date letter and duty mark are worn but still legible. 1821 is the year the London townmark leopard's head lost his crown.

A pair of Scottish Hanoverian tablespoons, with initials "DMcD over MMcD", (possibly McDonald?) engraved on the back of the spoons. The spoons have a lovely feel and are a pleasing weight, good quality tablespoons very suitable for use. They have a central rib and a large drop. The hallmarks are poorly struck, but the makers mark L&R, Edinburgh castle and Scottish thistle are still visible on one spoon. The other spoon has a partial makers mark visible, being L&. The date letter is too indistinct to read, but the presence of the thistle dates them to post 1759, when the thistle replaced the assay masters mark on Scottish silver. Edward Lothian and Patrick Robertson worked in the late 1750's and early 1760's.

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 novelty pincushion of a chick, with original pincushion intact, and generally in very good condition. The chick is realistically modelled with fine detail and is good quality, as is usual for items made by Sampson Mordan. The hallmarks are very clear, including makers mark SM&Co.

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.

A Liberty Cymric silver matchbox holder, set with a single cabochon of turquoise, typical of the designer Archibald Knox for Liberty. The hallmarks are clear, although the makers mark is only partially visible, but clearly identifiable as Liberty. This box is not stamped "Cymric", although it undoubtably belongs to the Cymric range.

A silver and gold fob medal with unengraved central shield, which we assume is 9ct gold. The medallion is engraved "Interworks Charity Competition Winners, 1943-1944, Vickers F.C., W. Finlay". This is interesting as it indicates that even in the middle of World War II, the workers of Vickers (major armaments manufacturers) still found time for a charity football competition. The awarding of silver and gold during the austere war years is unusual, but as can be seen from the date it was manufactured some time before war broke out, and kept in stock.

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.

A very fine silver samorodok cigarette case, of extremely good quality. Samorodok is a technique that produces a beautifully textured nugget like effect on the surface, that resembles tree bark. It is achieved by heating the silver to a temperature just below melting point, then cooling it abruptly in water. It is a very difficult technique to master, so samorodok is quite rare. Most examples extant today are of Russian origin, many by notable makers like Faberge. The case was produced in Turku, Finland, in 1955, by the makers M&N (we welcome assistance with identification of this makers mark). Turku is a medieval city, noted for its fine goldsmiths, and is Finland's oldest city. The hallmarks are clear, makers mark, Finland National mark, 813H purity mark, Turku town mark, and date letter B7 for 1955.

A rare Liberty Cymric toothbrush, with silver handle set with two turquoise cabochons, and wooden (ebony) toothbrush set with bristles. The hallmarks are clear, including L&Co makers mark, but the CYMRIC mark is not present (as is usual on small items). This toothbrush matches the Liberty Cymric vanity set (S1360).

An interesting pair of circular trencher salts, made to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII in 1902 by Elkington. The quality is superb, and they are a good weight. The salts are an exact replica of Carolean salts made in 1684, engraved "Ex Dono Edw Norman 1684" (donation of Edward Norman 1684). They have star crests, presumably that of the donor, and the crest of the "Worshipful Company of Innkeepers" (St Juliens cross sable and chevron between 3 oatsheaves) on the other side. The company, whcih still exists today, was created in 1514. The company has the original salts (a set of 12) and presumably commissioned the replicas to commemorate the coronation. The original salts are described in the article "The Old English Silver of the Innholders Company, London" by Arthur Butler (The Connoisseur Illustrated Vol 1 pg 236, Sept - Dec 1901). Butler believes they deserve "special distinction", due to their "graceful shape". The top of both salts are engraved "Edward VII, 1902", and the base is engraved 101 and...

A Scottish Provincial sterling silver brooch from Aberdeen, with a silver rim surrounding a polished oval pink granite. Aberdeen is known as the "Granite City", with its' building stone quarried from Rubislaw Quarry. The brooch is hallmarked with makers mark R&S and ABD, the unofficial Aberdeen town mark. Rettie and Son worked between 1845 and 1896, and are well known for their jewellery with the local granite (Benjamin, Antique Jewellery, page 92).

A Cape silver Basting spoon in the Old English pattern, of good gauge, very suitable for use. Whilst the spoon is Old English pattern, the drop is definitely not English in style, it has a European flavour (which shows the different influences on Cape Silversmiths of the time). The hallmarks are very clear, makers mark WGL struck twice, and the inverted L device used by Lotter (mark 95 in Welz). The Lotter family are important in the history of Cape silver, with 12 members of the family known to have produced silver. Willem Godfried, who made this spoon, worked from 1810 - 1835, and is known for good quality work.

A set of six silver teaspoons with enamel finials, 3 with a swimmer and 3 with a motorcyclist. The teaspoons have an attractive stem, and all 6 are fully hallmarked on the back of the bowl, and all are stamped "England". The enamels were hand painted, as the details on each differ slightly. We can only guess as to their origin, perhaps a special commission for a family involved in both sports.

A lovely late Victorian American Sterling silver hand mirror, by the highly regarded Gorham company. The mirror is embossed in deep relief with roses, with very fine detail. The quality is exceptional, this is a lovely item, a real work of art by a master craftsman. The hallmarks are clear, the Gorham Lion, Anchor and Gothic G, "Sterling" and date letter O.

A lovely pair of cast sugar tongs, with ornate pierced arms, shell grips and a shaped bow with feather edge engraving and floral design. The owners initials MT are engraved on the bow. As is usual for tongs predating 1784, these tongs only have 2 hallmarks, the lion passant and makers mark (TE) - (see Georgian Silver Sugar Tongs, Graham Hodges, pg 11, 39 and 218 - P.S. we strongly recommend this book). Cast tongs are delicate, it is rare to find a pair without repairs. This repair is old, and is very well done. Thomas Evans worked between 1774 and 1792, but as this pair has no duty mark we know it was produced before 1784. The style of the tongs suggests a date circa 1775.

An extremely rare and unusual Cape silver Napkin (serviette) holder. The holder has an arm that hooks into a buttonhole, and a clamp that is opened or closed with a sliding ring. The clamp end is decorated in a very crude shell, and the sliding ring is crudely banded. This item could be unique, made by special commission, as none of the Cape silver reference books describe napkin holders. The hallmark is very clear (DBD between two stars, mark 44 in Welz). Dominique Badouin du Moulin was a Belgian from Mons (Bergen), who worked as a silversmith in the Cape between 1818 and 1833 (Welz, Cape Silver). He married the sister of silversmith Jan Beyleveld.

Magnificent pair of Arts and Crafts spoons by Sibyl Dunlop, one of the leading female practitioners of the Arts and Crafts movement. The spoons are in the shape and style of 16th century spoons, with fig shaped bowl, hexagonal stem and shaped finials. The spoons are cast, with hand hammered bowls, and have a cast finial that resembles a pineapple with scrolls on either side, resting on 3 rings. A furrow runs down the front end of the shaft of each spoon. These spoons are very good quality, with pleasing weight, lovely to hold and use. The hallmarks on both spoons are very clear, including the SD makers mark. Dunlop (1889-1968) was born in Scotland, trained as a jewellery designer in Brussels, and opened a shop in Kensington Street, London. She specialised in Arts and Crafts silver and jewellery, often naturalistic in style.

A set of 6 teaspoons and matching jamspoon in original box, designed to commemorate the inauguration of the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria on 16 December 1949. The front of the spoons have the Boer oxwagon wheel and powder horns, along with the Zulu shield and assegaai (spear). The rear has an outline of the Voortrekker Monument, with inscription "1949 SVK UWB". These spoons are good quality, with cast design. SVK stands for Sentrale Volksmonumente Komitee (Central Peoples Monument Committee) which was formed in 1931, with the aim to build a monument to honour the Voortrekkers (Pioneers) who left the Cape Colony in 1835. The spoons were sold to assist raising funds for the building of the monument, which cost GBP 350000. The hallmarks are clear on all spoons. The spoons were designed by the famous South African artist W.H. Coetzer, the original design is in MuseumAfrika in Johannesburg, and depicted in " Catalogue of Pictures in the Africana Museum", vol 6, pg 157, C1113. Willem Hermanus Coetzer also design...

A Liberty Cymric dressing table set comprising of shoe-horn, button hook and glove stretcher, all steel with silver handles set with classic Arts and Crafts turquoise cabochons, on both sides (8 cabochons in all). The set must have been accumulated over time, with the shoe-horn 1905, glove stretcher 1907 and button hook 1909. All are fully hallmarked with the Liberty and Co hallmarks, in addition the shoe-horn is stamped "Cymric" on both sides. This set matches the Liberty Cymric vanity set (item S 1360). It is widely believed that this is an Archibald Knox design.

A silver figure depicting "The Trusty Servant" of Winchester College, one of the oldest and most prestigious of English public schools. The figure is well engraved, with lovely detail. A picture of the Trusty Servant hangs in the kitchen of Winchester College. The figure is dressed in Windsor uniform and wig, and has a pigs head, donkey ears, padlocked jaw, deers feet, sword and collection of household implements. These refer to "desirable attributes of a servant", padlocked jaw (to keep secrets), stags feet (swift errands), household implements (to work hard) and sword (to protect master). We are not sure what the figure was intended for (it has no stand or attachments), but is probably intended as a bookmark, or could be added to a trophy or adapted as menu holder.

A delightfully decorative chamberstick, realistically modelled as a flower bud, stem and leaves, one of the finest chambersticks we have seen. The flower stem forms the ring grip, and the bud holds the candle, and the pan is octagonal. It is beautifully made and decorated, and is very good quality - truly the work of master craftsmen. Chambersticks were traditionally used to light your way to bed at night. The Angell's are described by Pickford as "very fine 19th century family of goldsmiths" (Jackson's Hallmarks). The hallmarks are clear, and include the duty mark of William IV (even though Victoria was already on the throne), indicating this piece was made between 29 May and 20 June 1837. Both the pan and one of the leaves are hallmarked, even the silver wingnut underneath is hallmarked. The makers mark is poorly struck and only partially visible, but sufficient can be seen to leave no doubt as to the makers identification.

A matching set of crested Georgian silver flatware, including 12 tablespoons, 2 sauce ladles, 2 saltspoons and butterknife, all of very good gauge and quality. The pattern is Fiddle and Thread, and all pieces have an interesting double crest, indicating a marriage between 2 noble families. The first crest is of a head and shoulders of a bearded man with unruly hair, the second a raised fist holding a halbeard. The saltspoons have gilded bowls to prevent corrosion. The butterknife is a later addition to the set (made in 1895), and only has the bearded man crest. The makers mark on the butterknife has been removed, possibly to allow the retailer to overstamp. Chawner was a prolific spoonmaker, he ran a large workshop of journeymen, whose individual marks can be seen on the spoons (devices include stars, bars, circles and triangles).

A set of 6 Art Nouveau silver buttons, with a typical Art Nouveau style female head with long flowing hair. The detail is good, and the hallmarks are clear on all 6 buttons. The buttons are still in their original fitted case, which is intact and in working order, but scuffed on the outside and faded and worn in the interior.

A set of Edwardian replica Apostle spoons, with gilded Apostles and gilded fig shaped bowls, in original felt and silk lined box. The spoons are quite large, suitable for use as serving spoons. The practise of reproducing earlier styles of silver was common at the turn of the century. These spoons are very fine quality. The Apostles appear to be: 1. The Master (Saviour) with orb and cross. 2. St Peter with key. 3. St James the Greater with pilgrims staff. 4. St Matthew with purse. We are not sure of the significance of a boxed set of 4 Apostles, perhaps originally a Christening present. Wakely and Wheeler (originally Lias & Son) were manufacturing silversmiths, who supplied many leading dealers in their day. The hallmarks on all 4 spoons are clear.

An unusual Russian silver vodka jug in Trompe L'Oeil style ("deceive the eye"), which is a type of decoration designed to imitate a surface or texture, to create a 3D impression. The jug is typically Russian in style, and the texturing imitates rush work or raffia (plaited stems of marsh plants). The detail is amongst the best we have seen, the silversmith was definitely a true artist. The interior of the jug is gilded, and the hallmarks on the base are clear, although part of the makers mark is worn. The handle also has the St Petersburg hallmark. The assay master is unknown, but worked from 1881 -1894. We are not experts on cyrillic makers marks, so are not certain we have correctly identified the maker - all opinions welcome.

A double sided Castle-Top card case, depicting Windsor Castle on one side, and Kenilworth Castle on the other. Both views have very fine detail, and are set on an attractive engine turned background. The Windsor Castle view is of the East Terrace, showing the new garden created for King George IV. The Kenilworth Castle view has a right facing heraldic bear in the left hand foreground, which signify ownership by the Dudley family (Cameron, The First Castle Tops, Silver Society Journal 12, pg 65). The hallmarks are very clear. John Tongue, an established maker of boxes including Castle-Tops, worked between 1831 and 1865.

A pair of Liberty Cymric glass and silver dressing table pots, with turquoise cabochons set in the lids. The pots match the Liberty vanity set (S1360). Each lid is fully hallmarked with clear marks including L&Co makers mark. The glass pots are bevelled.

A set of 3 delightful fob medals, all won by H. Duncan of Camps Bay Amateur Swimming Club, South Africa. The first shows a lifesaver in action, with the words "The Royal Lifesaving Society, Competition Medal - Henry Cup, 1925, 1st, H. Duncan, Camps Bay A.S.C." The second shows a swimmer diving into a pool, and reads "RD 679779, C.B.A.S.C. Club C'ship, 1925-26, 3rd, H. Duncan". The 3rd, oval in shape, shows a swimmer with a yacht in the background, reads "C.P. Schools under 14 Team Race Championship, Gordons Cup, 1922". (C.P. stands for Cape Province). All 3 medals have clear hallmarks, the makers are Joseph Duffern & Co, William Hair Haseler and the unidentified JM respectively. WH Haseler had close ties with Liberty & Co.

Typically Cape konfyt (preserve) fork, in the Fiddle pattern. The hallmarks are also typically Cape (WC or WG?) in a shaped punch, between 2 crude stars. The makers mark is a little indistinct, either a worn or mistruck punch, or could even be overstruck. Given this is an unrecorded maker not listed in any of the reference books (as far as we can determine), it could have another Colonial origin.

A rectangular silver tray, beautifully engraved with a picture of the Frigate HMS (His Majesty's Ship) Broadsword, showing very realistic detail, including the flag. The engraving is superb, very fine detail of the ship, and good texturing of the clouds and sea. The tray has loop handles in the same reeded pattern as the applied rim. The tray is good quality, and was retailed by Asprey of London. The hallmarks are clear, except makers mark which is partially worn. "Asprey London" is stamped on the base. HMS Broadsword was a destroyer of the "Weapons" or "Battleaxe" class, it was built in 1944 and launched in 1946. Designed for antisubmarine warfare, she saw extensive service including USA, Malta and the Iceland Patrol. She was retired in 1964, but her name lives on in later ships. HMS Broadsword has an association (www.hmsbroadsword.co.uk, where we sourced the 2 original photo's of HMS Broadsword in action) and is affiliated with the city of Chester.

A lovely 9 carat gold music prize medallion, decorated with crisp and finely detailed musical instruments, including a harp, violin, trombone, oboe and clarinet, complete with sheets of music. The medallion is engraved "SFCC EISTEDDFOD, 1922, SENr Piano Solo, 1st Prize, Miss M Butt". The engraving has been done by hand. The medallion is attached to a gold link by scrolling foliage. The hallmarks are very clear, including makers mark T&S, 9 ct gold hallmarks, Birmingham town mark and date letter for 1922. The ring also has gold hallmarks.

An interesting silver standing salt made to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII in 1902 by Elkington, who are known for their fine replicas of earlier styles. The quality is superb, and it is a very good weight. The salt is an exact replica of a salt made in 1626, engraved "This Salt is the Gifte of John Waterworth 1626". It has the crest of the "Worshipful Company of Innholders", with St Julien's Cross sable and chevron between three oatsheaves. The company, which still exists today, was created in 1514, and is no. 32 in order of precedence of the 107 London companies. The Company of Innholders has the original Waterworth salts (a pair), we assume the replica was commissioned by them in 1901. The originals are described in an article entitled "The Old English Silver of the Innholders Company, London" by Arthur Butler, in "The Connoisseur Illustrated Vol 1, pg 236, Sept - Dec 1901." Butler describes them as "of very massive silver, the well turned moulding and sensible proportions amply compensate for th...

A lovely antique silver fish slice from the short reign of William IV, with a pierced and engraved fish design, with lovely detail. The slice is Fiddle pattern, and has a crest of a griffin on a crown, surrounded by buckle with the motto "Nil Virtute Praeclarus" (Never Virtue in Beauty?). The crest is very good condition, clearly visible. William Eaton, a specialist spoonmaker, worked between 1824 and 1844. The hallmarks are very clear.

An early Georgian silver salver with wavy outline and gadrooned rim, set on 3 stepped pad feet, with an imposing coat of arms which is well engraved and very clear. The salver is a good size and weight (over 1 kilogramme), and the hallmarks are very clear.The coat of arms belongs to a peer of the realm, which is indicated by the presence of an open coronet above the armorial, and "supporters" on either side. The arms are "quartered" (4 different coat of arms, indicating several marriages to heiresses, bringing new arms to the family). The motto "Agincourt" indicates participation in the famous battle between England and France in 1415. The salver has an old worn label on the back, which records the family names of the coat of arms - Spencer, ?arnegie (Carnegie?), Fraser, Berkeley. Marks on the rear of the salver show the possibility that the crest has been let in (a later addition) which was common practice when a families' coat of arms changed through marriage (the updated coat of arms would be added to the ...

Lovely set of Kings pattern (with diamond point) Cape tableforks, of very good quality and gauge - the forks are 100 grams each, very heavy to hold. Cape flatware in Kings pattern is fairly rare, the most prevalent patterns being Fiddle and Old English. These forks all have the same English pseudo hallmarks (leopards head, date letter A, duty mark and lion, Welz mark 135), struck by the same punch in the same workshop. However, 4 have the maker mark LT (Twentyman), and two have the makers mark FW (Waldek). This is not unusual, as Waldek worked for Twentyman, and probably took over the business when Twentyman departed for India, circa 1835.

A Liberty Cymric nail vanity set, complete with buff, tweezers, file, scissors, knife and shaper, all steel manicure tools with silver handles set with turquoise cabochons on each side (10 in total). Each piece is fully hallmarked with "L & Co" makers mark, townmark, date letter and sterling mark, but none have the "cymric" stamp, as they were probably too small. Handbeaten silver set with turquoise cabochons is classic Arts and Crafts, probably designed by Archibald Knox, who designed for Liberty until 1912. The scissors do not have cabochons, but are a lovely shape (unfortunately one steel tip is broken off). The nail buff has its original leather base, which is worn but still intact. This set matches item S 1361.

A magnificent set of 4 early Georgian cast scallop shells, with "curled" handles, the ends "rolled over" to form a double scroll grip, in the manner of Onslow pattern flatware. The use of scallop shells is the subject of some argument, they have long been called "butter shells", but have also been described as "oyster scallops", salts, sweetmeat and sauce dishes (Judith Bannister, "Scallop Shells in English Silver, Collectors Guide, June 1967"). They are in the style of Paul de Lamerie, who popularised these in the 1730's, so much so that other makers followed suit. The shells are realistically cast, roughly life size and rest on 3 dolphin feet, also cast, in keeping with the marine theme. Each shell is also engraved with a family crest, a Maltese cross over a crescent, surrounded by branches. The shells are exceptional quality, they are solid and heavy, and the detail on both shells and dolphins is good. The hallmarks are visible but given the curved shape of the shell are not well struck, and are worn. The ...

Fiddle pattern Cape teaspoon, with clear hallmarks (Welz no 27) including initials, 2 ladder device in ball, 2 shell device.

Cape Silver teaspoon in the Old English pattern, with very clear hallmarks, IC and shell. Combrink worked from Dorp Street.

Lovely boxed set of antique sterling silver Gorham flatware, in the attractive New Queens pattern, with double shell finial (concave on top and convex underneath), and triple shell on heel. The set includes: 6 tablespoons, 5 tableforks, 5 dessertspoons, 6 dessertforks, 12 teaspoons, 1 soupladle, 1 sifter ladle, 1 butterknife, 1 saltspoon, 1 condiment ladle, 1 serving spoon, 1 jamspoon (total 41 pieces).The soupladle, serving spoon and and jamspoon all have rattails. Each of the 41 pieces is fully hallmarked, with the Gorham hallmarks (lion, anchor, Gothic G), and "Sterling, PAT, 1899". An additional letter hallmark (T, D or H) is also present on some pieces (H on tablespoons, T on dessert spoons and forks, D on tableforks and teaspoons). We believe these additional marks refer to the weight, T being Trade and H being Heavy, unmarked pieces are regular weight. The set is housed in an attractive solid oak box, with brass mounts on corners, brass handles and nameplate, complete with lock and key in working order...

Beautiful, reversible blue enamel pendant and choker, designed by Bjorn Sigurd Ostern for David Andersen. The pendant is reversible, and looks remarkably different when worn the different ways. It hangs very well, and is most striking when worn. The choker is original, and is also silver. Ostern was the chief designer for Andersen between 1961 and 1985. The pendant is clearly hallmarked, David-Andersen, Norway Sterling 925S, INV.B.S.O., and the choker is also hallmarked Andersen and 925S.

Italian silver 800 beaker with an interesting military crest, of an eagle with wings outstretched, standing on a laurel wreath, with shield containing letters RI intertwined on chest. The crest is on both sides of the beaker, and the rim is decorated with a wreath.

Pretty Glove buttonhook, with silver ring for suspension from a chain. Buttonhooks for gloves were much smaller than those used for boots. This could be worn as a necklace pendant. The hallmarks are small but visible.

A magnificent set of 13 gilded silver Italian apostle spoons, featuring the 12 apostles on the smaller spoons and the "Master" on the larger spoon - all in their original box. They are extremely good quality and well made, the cast finials have very fine detail. The stems are twisted with a beaded design, and a winged female angel joins the bowls to the stems. Each apostle is named on the back of the finial in Italian - (S. Pilip, Giag, Paol, Luca, Mat, Bart, Piet, And, Tom, Mar, Giov, Sim). The spoon bowls are all made of silver coins (Piastra's) from the Papal States (which included most of central Italy in the 18th century) dated between 1676 and 1802. The coins have the Papal Arms for the following Popes: Innocento XI (1676-1689), Alessandro XIII (1689-1691), Innocento XII (1691-1700), Clement XI (1700-1721), Clement XII (1730-1740), Clement XIV (1769-1774), Pius VI (1775-1799) and Pius VII (1800-1823). Two of the coins, dated 1691, are "Sede Vacante" - translated "The Seat is Empty", meaning they were m...

American Fiddle pattern tablespoon, complete with pseudo English hallmarks (duty mark, lion and date letter C). The back of the handle is engraved with the initials JWK. James E.H. Wallin worked in New York City between 1842 and 1849. he married Elizabeth Kitchell Sayre in 1844.

Lovely set of Art Deco cakeforks, of good quality and gauge, suitable for everyday use. The town, sterling and date marks are clear on all forks, the makers mark is poorly struck and only faintly visible, but still identifiable as Lanson Ltd, who used this mark between 1933 and 1961.

A modern reproduction of the rare "eagle's wing" caddy spoon, amongst the most collectable and desirable of all caddy spoons. The original versions of this spoon were produced by Joseph Willmore and Matthew Linwood in Birmingham circa 1815. It was also copied by George Unite in Birmingham circa 1865 (see John Norie Collection of Caddyspoons - Woolley & Wallis, 2004). John Norie himself described the eagles wing caddyspoon as "the most revered and sought after of all specimens" in his definitive book on the subject. This is a cast spoon (cast marks can be seen on the base), and is very good quality and gauge, and pleasing to hold. The plumage is textured and the hallmarks are very clear. The eagle's wing caddy spoon is the emblem of the Society of Caddy Spoon Collectors, who recently published the book "The Caddy Spoon in the 20th Century", with the eagles wing featured on the back cover. They note that Thomas Bradbury & Sons reproduced the eagle's wing caddyspoon (page 18) along with other traditional spoons,...

A silver 2 handled wine bottle coaster, with an attractive applied cut card decoration of a spade shaped leaf. This coaster is solid and well made by Wilson & Gill of Regent Street, London, who were known for their novel and artistic silver (they stocked silver by Christopher Dresser, William Comyns and Hukin & Heath). The coaster has the initials GWI, and is stamped on the base with "Wilson & Gill, London, Rd No 556257". The hallmarks are visible but worn. This could also be used as a bowl.

Set of 12 Fiddle pattern dessert spoons and forks, made by Hamilton & Co, the "Garrards of India". All 12 have a crest and set of initials (AD), the crest (which are worn but visible) is a dove with an olive branch in its beak, under the motto "Nil Nisi Fidum" (translated "Nothing but Trust"). All are clearly hallmarked with maker mark, elephant, the capital letter A and a variety of tallymarks.

A Dutch silver miniature kettle, circa 1725, by the prolific Frederik I van Strant, who made a large number of miniature silver objects in the course of his career (Houart, Miniature Silver Toys). A very similar kettle also by van Strant can be seen in figure 69 of the book described above. Unfortunately this kettle has lost its original lid, this lid is a replica copy of the lid depicted in the book. The makers mark is very clear, the Amsterdam town mark partially visible, and the assay scrape is also present.

Art Deco sugartongs with a classic cast silver deco design on both arms. The tongs are well made, and feel heavy and solid to hold. The hallmarks are clear, and a facsimile Charles Boyton signature is also present. Boyton broke away from the family firm of Charles Boyton & Sons Ltd in 1934, setting up his own business emulating Omar Ramsden in the "decorative style".

A lovely early Cape tablespoon in the Hanoverian pattern, with turn-up end. This spoon only has the makers hallmark, which is very worn but still faintly visible. Lotter generally only struck his makers mark, as is the case on this spoon. Lotter, who was part of a large family of silversmiths working in the Cape, was an extremely competent silversmith who made the Cape Town Lutheran Church chalice to match one made in Amsterdam in 1765.

Typical Scottish silver toddy ladle, in the Fiddle pattern, with engraved initail P. The ladle was made by Andrew Wilkie, a Dundee silversmith, but was assayed in Edinburgh. Silver by Wilkie is found with both Dundee marks (pot of lilies) and with Edinburgh marks, as is the case with other Scottish provincial silversmiths, brought about by the imposition of duty on hallmarked silver. According to Turner (Directory of Scottish provincial silversmiths and their marks), certain makers had a proportion of their silver fully stamped in Edinburgh, to keep their registration as a silversmith valid - and to keep the Revenue service happy that duty was being paid.

Plain, good hallmarks, English Pseudo and makers name. Daniel arrived in the Cape in 1820 (one of the settlers) as a child from Dublin, his Father (who had the same name) was also a silversmith.

A lovely silver and enamel fob, depicting a footballer in early 20th century dress. The fob would have been attached to a silver "Albert" or pocketwatch chain. The hallmarks are very clear.

Fiddle pattern Cape silver tablefork with Pseudo English hallmarks, which are clear, and makers mark WM. This hallmark punch was used by 5 different Cape silversmiths, including Twentyman, Combrink, Townsend and Beck, leading Welz (Cape Silver, pg 95) to speculate that all the silver with this mark came from the same workshop.

A lovely set of Jugendstil German 800 silver teaspoons, of very good quality. The spoons all have a cast crest depicting an eagle within a shield, over a cross within another shield. This has the appearance of a military crest, but this is not our area of expertise. The spoons are in their original box, marked "HG Berg, Guldsmed, Sandefjord", which is in Norway - so the possibility exists that the spoons were manufactured in Germany for the Norwegian market, so the crest could be Norwegian.

Set of Russian silver Fiddle pattern tablespoons, with very clear hallmarks on all 6 spoons. These are very good gauge, suitable for everyday use. The makers name is in cyrillic, our best translation is A. Schenker or Shenker. The assaymaster is Nicholai Stradomsky (HC in cyrillic, NS in English), who worked in Moscow and Vilnius (Geoffrey Watts, Russian Silversmiths' Hallmarks, pg 84).

Lovely Albert fob chain, of exceptional quality - each and every link in the chain is individually hallmarked with the lion sterling mark. One link has the citymark and datestamp as well. Both bulldog clips at the end of the chains are also hallmarked with the lion and date letter. Albert Cohen and Charles Solomon were highly regarded manufacturing jewellers, based in Holborn Circus, London, who were the sole representatives of the Parisian firm Baudet Freres & Cie in the UK and colonies. The Albert was named after Prince Albert, Consort to Queen Victoria. This particular one is a double, with 2 chain ends, and central attachment for a seal. The bar would fit into a waistcoat buttonhole. Given the length of this Albert, it could be worn as a necklace.

Lovely set of twisted stem Apostle spoons, with cast silver Apostle finials, complete with nimbus (halo), signifying a saintly head. The spoons are very good quality, the cast Apostles have good detail, unlike the many sets of Apostle spoons mass produced later in the 20th century. The nimbus is engraved with Saint Esprit (Dove of the Holy Ghost), which signifies the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostle. The Esprit nimbus is frequently present in early (16th century) Apostle spoons. The hallmarks are clear on all spoons. Thomas Bradbury & Sons was a well known firm, in existance from 1769 to 1943, who mostly exported to the USA.

Delightful set of 4 silver fox menu holders (or place holders), of extremely high quality, by a well regarded maker. The menu holders all have the letter B engraved on the base disk. All are fully hallmarked with clear marks, including the number 9 before the makers mark. Sampson Mordan & Co had a retail shop in Regent Street, London.

Plain silver piecrust waiter by Asprey, of exceptional quality, as you would expect from Asprey. The waiter has 3 feet, very clear hallmarks, and is also stamped "Asprey London, J". It is a good weight, and in excellent condition.

Impressive set of good quality Russian flatware, with an applied crest of what appears to be a basket of flowers over a shield, bearing the initials ES. They are of very good gauge, the individual spoons and forks weigh 80 grams each, the knives 130 grams each. The set was made in two different batches 2 years apart, the first 6 (2 of each) was made by Fabecki in 1883, the second 6 by C.H. Stern in 1885. All were assayed in Warsaw, Poland (which was part of Russia between 1850 and 1915) by O.C. (Josef Sosnkowski), who was the assaymaster in Warsaw between 1860 and 1896. The hallmarks are all clear, the 6 by Fabecki have an additional hallmark of a bulls head, the 6 by Stern have a device that looks like a rams head. The knives are silver handled with steel blades (blades by Gerlach and S. Bienkowski). The hallmarks on the spoons and forks are very clear, those on the knife handles are present but worn (still discernable).

Rare Cape Silver Christening mug, by the highly regarded Cape Silversmith John Townsend. The body is plain and cylindrical, the handle has a lovely leaf cap, and the mug is of good gauge. David Heller, author of "Cape Silver", described Townsend as the "most versatile" of all the English silversmiths who worked at the Cape. The hallmarks are clear, being makers mark and pseudo English hallmarks which are slightly worn (duty mark, date letter a, leopards head and date letter J) -(see Welz, Cape Silver, pg 122).

Set of Jensen silver flatware in the popular Acorn pattern, designed by Johan Rhode in 1915. Rhode was probably the most influential of all the designers who worked at Georg Jensen, and the Acorn pattern is the most popular of all of Jensen's flatware designs, still in production today. The set comprises of 12 teaspoons (medium size), 12 cakeforks and 12 butterknives, which are also suitable for pate. The butterknives all have silver blades (these are sometimes produced with steel blades). Each of the 36 pieces is clearly hallmarked "Sterling Denmark Georg Jensen & Wendal A/S", the mark used between 1945 and 1951 on items retailed in Copenhagen.

A scale replica set of the Tichborne Celebrities, probably the most famous of all English spoon sets, originally made by William Cawdell in 1592 (Kent, London Silver Spoonmakers). The set was produced in 1977 by the Heritage Collection of Bristol, commemorating the Silver Jubilee, in a limited edition of 5000 (this set is no 1814). The sets sold for GBP 250 in 1977, with a royalty paid to the Hampshire County Museum, who bought the original set at Christies in 1975 for GBP 85000. The spoons are sterling silver with gilt finials, and each spoon is hallmarked with 5 marks - makers device, STG (sterling), antelope head (South Africa), date letter D and set number 1814. The spoons are good quality, with very detailed finials, and each is engraved with its name, as per the originals. The set comes in original box, complete with signed certificate with information on each "celebrity", and a booklet describing the set, its maker, and information on Sir Robert Tichborne. The set comprises of the "9 Worthies" of medie...

A magnificent set of unusual silver gilt cast teaspoons and sugartongs, all of exceptional quality, in original silk lined leather box. Each individual spoon is a replica of an earlier spoon design, covering 300 years of spoon history. They include (as best we can identify): 1. Moors head, twisted stem 2. Onslow with flowers 3. Bearded monks head (Rococo) 4. Pierced handle (rare 18th century design) 5. Apostle spoon. pilgrims staff and book 6. Bacchus (Roman clothes) holding wine goblet 7. Stag with antlers 8. Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, dancing with tambourine 9. The devil, with horns 10. Warrior with raised arm, helmet and brestplate 11. Angels head (blowing clouds?) 12. Cherub's head, ornate stem 13. (Sugartongs) Cupid with wings. Manoah Rhodes was established in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1836, Thomas Ackroyd Rhodes was appointed Managing Director in 1888. He lived in Frizinghall and Thornbury in Bradford. They also had premises in Hatton Gardens, London. They were Diamond merchants, Goldsmiths ...

Lovely Art Deco soup ladle in 800 silver, of exceptionally good quality and gauge.This ladle is truly a pleasure to hold and use (as long as you have strong wrists!). Wilkens & Son were one of the "big 3" German silver producers, and were highly regarded. The hallmark consists of the Wilkens makers mark bracketed by the letters MC, standing for Michelangelo Clementi & Cie of Bologna, Italy. Wilkens & Son entered into a strategic partnership with Michelangelo Clementi in 1912. The makers mark is alongside the 800 purity mark. Another mark is present, but it is worn/poorly struck, so not legible. Clementi Fabbrica Argenteria still exists today, manufacturing Buccellati

Lovely Victorian silver christening mug, with banded body and gilt interior. It is a pleasant size, shape and design. John Keith was a well regarded silversmith, as well as a deeply religious man, who specialised in Church silver. The hallmarks are clear.

Pair of Cape Silver Konfyt (preserve) forks, in the Fiddle pattern, with very clear hallmarks and initials JWH. Pairs of konfyt forks are fairly rare, most konfyt forks found are singles. The hallmarks on both forks are very clear, and consist of makers mark, pseudo English dutymark and castle town mark. Johannes Lotter was a member of the Lotter family of silversmiths, he was the son of Willem Godfried Lotter and the brother of Carel David Lotter. He also made the snuffbox featured on our website (item S 185).

A unique set of 12 Hanoverian teaspoons, six of which are shellbacks, the other six are scrollbacks. These spoons predate the common practise of making and selling flatware in sets, complete sets are extremely rare. As is usual of the period, these spoons only have 2 hallmarks, the sterling and makers mark, which given the small size of the spoons were often poorly struck. The makers mark is present on all spoons but discernable on only 8, with 5 being by Charles Hougham (one set of 3 and another set of 2), and one each by Hester Bateman, Ebernezer Coker and Thomas Devonshire & William Watkins. Nine spoons have contempory initials, and 2 have a later crest.

An unusual silver and ivory crumb scoop (these usually have silver plate blades, this one has a silver blade), with an attractive turned ivory handle. This is both a practical and beautiful object, which would be a talking point at any dinner table. It is very good gauge, very solid, and with very clear hallmarks. The ring covering the join to the handle is also hallmarked silver.

Unusual pair of knife rests, shaped as a pair of "jacks", with a central ball with 6 arms, each ending in a small ball. They are nice and solid, and a very good weight. In addition to clear hallmarks, they also carry a registration number (111097), indicating the design was registered by Roberts & Belk, and a small crest depicting a Roman oil lamp. Roberts and Belk were a well known firm, first established in 1809, and bought by CJ Vander in 1961.

Lovely set of German 800 silver teaspoons, of very good quality and weight, with an attractive scrolling border an an unusual crest. The crest is an angel, a young girl in traditional dress with angels wings, holding a shield containing a crown over 2 crossed arrows and circle. We have been informed that this is a Hitler Youth crest, but as this is not our area of expertise we cannot confirm that. We would welcome any views or comments, and hope we are not offending anyone in the event that it is a Hitler Youth crest. The hallmarks are clear, makers mark NIB, which we cannot identify.

Plain silver meat skewer with ring pull and a diamond shaped crest, indicating it once belonged to an unmarried daughter of a nobleman. Skewers were used in joints of meat to hold them together whilst carving. John Wakelin and Robert Garrard I were extremely important makers, who were appointed as Goldsmith & Jeweller to the King (George III) in 1797 (Source Grimwade, London Goldsmiths). The hallmarks are well struck and extremely clear. The makers mark appears to be overstruck. Garrard, who joined Wakelin in 1792, took over the firm on Wakelin's death in 1802 - Garrard's still exists today.

A lovely golfing memorabilia teaspoon, with enamel finial of a lady golfer in early 20th century dress. The teaspoon shaft has an attractive design, and the hallmarks are clear. A.J. Bailey worked from the Everest works in Tenby Street.

A lovely enamel silver cigarette case with a bespectacled golfer swinging a wood, with flag visible behind him. The enamel is very good quality, well painted with lots of detail. The interior is gilt, and both sides of the box are hallmarked with clear marks. Blanckensee & Son was established in 1826, and by the turn of the century they had a large export trade and London showrooms. In the Jewellers exhibition of 1913, Blanckensee had "two of the prettiest windows in the exhibition", which included enamel cigarette cases (Culme, Directory of Silversmiths 1838 - 1914).

Delightful silver handled (hook is steel) boot button hook, shaped as a leopard's head, of exceptional quality. The cast leopard's head has fine detail, including the 4 teeth and tongue. Buttonhooks were an essential Victorian accessory, used for buttons on boots and tight fitting clothing. The only hallmark present is an English Lion passant, which is worn, but still visible.

Unusual set of 6 Arts and Crafts coffee spoons, made by Liberty, each set with different semi precious stones - malachite, amethyst, sodalite, turquoise, garnet and a green stone we cannot identify. The spoons are still in their original box, showing they were retailed by Mappin and Webb, Regent St, London. The spoons were made the year after Liberty closed their Cymric business (1901 - 1926), which was a partnership with William Haseler. The hallmarks are very clear on all spoons.

Beautiful set of 6 classic Art Deco teaspoons, made by the highly regarded firm of Elkington. The spoons were made early in the Second World War, before production was halted in favour of the war effort. The hallmarks are clear on all 6 spoons.

Lovely set of 800 silver German Art Nouveau tablespoons, with stylised Lily design. Koch and Bergfeld of Bremen were founded in 1829, and were one of the 3 large German silver companies. They executed designs by Hugo Leven, Albin Muller and Henry van der Velde (Krekel-Aalberse). Hallmarks are present on all 6 spoons, 5 are clear and 1 is worn.

Delightful set of 8 silver cocktail sticks, modelled as golfclubs, complete with handle and clubface. The hallmarks are clear and present on each stick. Turner and Simpson used this particular makers mark between 1929 and 1979.

Early Old English pattern (with narrow, elegant handle) basting spoon, with a long drop. The bowl is slightly smaller than later versions. The hallmarks are very clear.

An extremely rare Cape konfyt (preserve) fork with tubular handle, with typically Cape prick engraving of foliage at the top of the handle. No hallmarks are present. The handle is similar to the Cannon handle pattern of early English flatware. Similar forks are illustrated in Heller's History of Cape Silver (Vol 2, pg 82) and Welz's Cape Silver (pg 68), these are by Johannes Combrink.

Set of 6 Cape Dessert Fiddle pattern spoons, that match the set of 12 Tableforks (item S 1193). All 6 spoons have very clear English Pseudo hallmarks and makers mark, and the same pair of worn double initials. The spoons are of of good weight, and are robust enough to be used.

A very fine Maltese Basting spoon, of good gauge, with an unusually large and deep bowl. The spoon also has a deep lip and point. The hallmarks are clear, being 1855 with a small scratch through it (looks intentional?), the letter R (Maltese mark indicating Roman Fineness, 11 deniers) and the makers mark for the Naudi Family (circular mark with small bird in cresent). A truly lovely spoon.

Cape Silver tablefork (Fiddle pattern) with interesting horse crest, initials HR and very clear hallmarks. The hallmarks include Pseudo English marks and the makers mark.

Rare matching set of Cape Tableforks, in the Fiddle pattern, of good weight, and robust enough to be used. All 12 forks have very clear Pseudo English hallmarks and makers mark. The forks all have 2 sets of initials, but these are worn. These forks match the 6 Dessert spoons (item S1194), having the same maker and initials. Waldek, who produced silver from 1830 - 1877, took over Lawrence Twentyman's shop on Heerengracht street when Twentyman left the Cape.

Plain set of 3 Old English tablespoons from Newcastle, with very clear hallmarks. These spoons all have the same Initial B as the 4 tablespoons with the incuse duty mark (item S 1184).

A good set of early Old English tablespoons, with narrow elegant handles characteristic of the earlier Old English pattern. These spoons also have the initial B, and very clear hallmarks. These spoons all have the rare incuse duty mark (George III looking left), which was only in use for 18 months. As can be seen from the photographs, these marks are well struck and remain crisp, with no wear. George Smith was a prolific spoonmaker, this period predates his partnership with William Fearn (1786), the firm later became Eley and Fearn.

Beautiful Italian silver polo trophy, in the shape of a bowl. The bowl is a very good weight, and has an interesting pierced scrolling rim, and cast leaf - capped cabriole legs. It is engraved with a crest of crossed polo sticks and "Roma Polo Club". The hallmarks are clear, being 800 standard, dancing horse, makers mark and the Republican period and province mark (280 MI). The bowl has an interesting provenance, being purchased from the estate of the late Countessa Alessandra Brenciaglia. The trophy was won by Conte Carlo Brenciaglia (father of Alessandra) circa 1935, a champion polo player. The Brenciaglia family castle is La Rocca in Capodimonte, and the family history shows the Brenciaglia's related to Napoleon Bonaparte (thanks to Sandi Brenciaglia for information).

Attractive Art Deco cake forks of good gauge, these are solid and pleasant to hold, unlike many flimsier cakeforks we have seen. Hallmarks are very clear on all 6 forks.

Beautiful ladle by the famed maker Alwyn Carr, one of the leading silversmiths of the Arts and Crafts period. It dates from the period after the dissolution of his partnership with Omar Ramsden, which occurred in 1918 when Carr returned from the Great War as a wounded Captain. The ladle is double lipped, spot hammered, has a rattail and a heart shaped terminal. The hallmarks are very clear. Carr died in 1940.

Plain Cape saltspoon in the Fiddle pattern with gilded bowl, and very clear pseudo English hallmarks and makers mark.

Plain marrowscoop with a long drop, in lovely condition and with very clear hallmarks. The makers mark is very deeply struck. Schofield, who worked from Temple Bar, was reknowned for his impeccable craftmanship. He worked for the Royal Silversmiths Jeffries, Jones and Gilbert.

Cape Fiddle pattern saltspoon complete with makers mark and pseudo english hallmarks (clearly visible), gilded bowl and engraved monogram TTA. The spoon is slightly longer than others we have seen. Townsend was a leading Cape silversmith, who had a shop on Heerengracht in Cape Town, and is regarded as one of the finest and most versatile of Cape silversmiths by Heller.

A lovely, early Old English basting spoon, with narrow elegant stem and very good gauge, in excellent condition. It is ideal for use as a serving spoon. The hallmarks are also very clear.

Typical early Georgian small octagonal caster by a well known maker. Thomas Bamford was a specialist caster maker, whose apprentices included Samuel Wood, who also became a prolific specialist caster maker. Bamford's address was the interestingly named Gutter Lane. The caster is clearly hallmarked, both on the base and on the sleeve of the lid.

Early marrow scoop of good gauge, with good hallmarks - the makers mark and date letter are very clear, the sterling and town mark are slightly squashed but still legible. A lion crest is present, but worn.

Extremely rare marrow spoon (as opposed to the commomer marrow scoops), with a lovely shellback. Hallmarks are very distinct. Bennett was a well regarded silversmith who worked on London Bridge.

Small Arts and Crafts basket, possibly Norwegian, with swing handle. The basket is spot hammered and has an attractive embossed 5 dome design. The base is stamped 830, and both the interior and the handle are hallmarked with a script V, the Dutch import mark (post 1906).

Lovely scottish provincial tablespoon with characteristic celtic point, with the silversmiths surname incised. Initial A. The hallmarks include the crowned shield and "flaming heart" used by Douglas.

Pair of Old English serving spoons of good gauge, with a nice feel.They are perfect for use as heavy duty serving spoons. They have an interesting crest of a tulip in front of 2 crossed crosses, each cross arm bearing another cross. Hallmarks very clear.

A beautiful scoop in excellent condition, with very clear hallmarks. In addition, this scoop has an interesting bundled snake crest, also in excellent condition. This scoop is also slightly larger and heavier than others we have seen.

A beautiful silvergilt engine turned snuffbox with a chocolate brown agate (mocha agate) set in a rim of chased flowers, by a silversmith well known for his boxes. This box has a lovely weight and a pleasing feel.

Lovely Colonial condiment spoon, complete with pseudo English hallmarks, which are clear, and engraved initials WJ. Condiment spoons are a similar size to English saltspoons, but the bowl is at right angles to the spoon stem, similar to English cream or sauce ladles. This spoon also has a half moon tally mark, which identified the indigenenous workman who finished the piece (see Wynyard Wilkinson's book on Indian Colonial Silver). The Lattey Brothers worked from 10 Government Street in Calcutta.

This caddy spoon is by Taylor & Perry, who are known for their good quality caddy spoons. The bowl is beautifully engraved with flowers and foliage, the handle with leaves. The cartouche has the initial H, and the hallmarks are very clear. The caddy spoon is Fiddle pattern.

Interesting double lidded snuffbox with trellis and diaper engraving and a crest, by well known silversmiths. Both the box and both lids are clearly hallmarked.

A lovely set of classic deco coffee spoons, in original box. All 6 spoons are clearly hallmarked.

Set of matching spoons in the French Fiddle and Thread pattern, in 800 silver, made in Germany post 1884, all with the same engraved initials (HB). The set includes 6 tablespoons (in original box), 6 teaspoons (in original box) and a soup ladle. The spoons were retailed in Berlin by H Zimmermann, (Juwelier on Orienstr). The 12 spoons were made by Wilkens & Sohne, the ladle by another maker (mark a clearly visible W with 2 people). The ladle has a gilt interior and flat bottom. Note: - these should not be confused with the term "german silver", which is an alloy and not silver as such.

Plain marrowscoop, by specialist spoonmaker Elizabeth Oldfield. This scoop is very dainty, being smaller than later versions. Oldfield was the widow of silversmith Charles Jackson, and had a previous mark as Elizabeth Jackson. She remarried in 1750, when the mark pictured here was registered. The hallmarks are clear, and the original owners initials "WY" are scratched in small letters next to the makers mark.

A pleasing, heavy caddy spoon by the well known caddy spoon maker Thomas James, whose spoons often have interesting handle shapes, and a "fish-tail" projection at the base of the handle. The spoon has a beautiful crest of a hand holding a cross, with the motto "VIRTUTI FORTUNA COMIS", translated "excellence, fortune and kindness". The hallmarks are very clear. This spoon appears to be an identical twin of a spoon sold by Woolley and Wallis from the John Norie collection, Part 1, April 2004, lot 132.

A beautiful barley twist perfume bottle with gilt interior. The original glass stopper is in perfect condition. This bottle has a lovely feel in one's hand.

A beautiful French Niello snuffbox with a huntsman in 17th century period dress with his dogs. Gilt interior with inscription - From William Yates to John Rutherford, Sept 16th 1888. The box is fully hallmarked on the lid rim with the Paris standard mark for 1819-1838, the middle guarantee mark, and a makers mark, which appears to be W&W (or M&W or V&W) below a head, above a wagon wheel, set in a diamond (very small so difficult to see).

Mordan perfume bottle in fabulous condition, which has probably never left its original box. Attractive chased decoration of scrolling foliage. Initials TL. Original glass stopper in perfect condition. Gilt lid interior and very clear hallmarks.

Gilt, engine turned vinaigrette with original sponge and very good hinge. Engraved "J Lang, 1835". Grille has flowers set amongst scrolling foliage.

Plain half pint mug with a tapered body that has been raised and hammered by hand, with the hammermarks visible as you rotate the mug in the light (truly beautiful!). Smooth scrolled handle with small thumb grip. Hallmarks are very clear, and original owners initials AW are scratch engraved on the base.

A delightful Chester silver miniature card box, complete with complete set of "Little Duke" cards. Box and lid are both hallmarked with Chester marks. George Nathan and Ridley Hayes worked between 1897 and 1912, they had premises in Howard Street, Birmingham and also a retail shop at 13 Hatton Gardens, London.

Plain Georgian Silver pierced fish slice in the Fiddle pattern, with a very pleasant feel. Engraved initials and clear hallmarks.

Pair of Georgian provincial silver Exeter tablespoons in the Old English pattern, with clear hallmarks.

Unusual and beautiful Fiddle pattern serving spoon and fork. The spoon bowl is an unusual oval shape. Forks of this size are rare, serving sets even more so. Beautiful stags head crest and clear hallmarks.

Design registered by the retailer Thornhill of New Bond Street on 21 June 1870. The bugle carries the registry mark, Thornhill engraving and full hallmarks for Sampson Mordan, London 1874. Has hanging chain and screw stopper on separate chain, both original. The perfume bottle cap is also hallmarked, and has the original cork stopper, in excellent condition. It is a screw cap which fits snugly and closes perfectly.

Pear shaped baluster caster with spreading base made by the Daniel's, who specialised in casters. Initials ELN are scratch engraved on the base. Both pieces are clearly hallmarked.

Lovely silver and enamel brooch celebrating the end of the First World War. A dove is carrying a Victory / Peace banner, enclosed in a laurel wreath.

Georgian silver rectangular wine label with canted corners, engraved sherry, by the highly regarded makers Phipps and Robinson. Hallmarks are clear, duty mark has indent. Chain appears original.

Rectangular with reeded borders, engraved P for port. Scratch engraving.

Edwardian silver and ivory knife rests, the ivory being a deep rich golden colour.

Plain, elegant Fiddle pattern basting spoon of good weight, perfect for use as a serving spoon. The hallmarks are very clear. These silversmiths were a father and son team.

Miniature toy trophy or goblet, with gilt interior. Woodward specialised in making trophies and cups for other retail firms. Clear hallmarks.

A beautiful miniature Kings pattern knife and fork set in original box, probably a christening present. Complete hallmarks on knife, very clear. Hadfield was a well known Sheffield flatware maker

Delightful fox paperweight, suitable for holding a business card as well. Appears too large to be a place marker. Base is weighted.

Set of 3 gilt spoons (caddy, sugar sifter and jam) with exquisite decoration in the style of the Aesthetic Movement. This movement flourished in the period 1865 - 1885, after the International Exhibition in London led to a an interest in Japanese decorative arts. The decoration consists of abstract patterns of bamboos, birds and butterflies. Original silk lined box, and very clear hallmarks.

Beautiful Arts and Crafts low tazza, with celtic design rim and 8 celtic buttons of two different sizes arranged around the rim. It is a pleasing size and weight, perfect for use as a fruit bowl. This is a truly stunning piece, by highly regarded makers. Halmarks are very clear

Interesting set of 8 Fiddle pattern spoons by the Cape maker William Moore. The dessert spoons are beautiful spoons, in excellent condition. The teaspoons have seen more use, with 2 having worn tips (possibly reshaped). Very clear pseudo English hallmarks are present on all 8 spoons.

Matching set of 6 teaspoons, with engraved initials. These spoons are all 1821, the last year of the crowned leopard London hallmark. Very clear hallmarks with the exception of the makers mark, which is only visible on one spoon.

Matching set of 6 dessertspoons, with engraved initials WG. Very clear hallmarks.

Oval label, pierced Madeira, moulded with scallop shells and scrolling foliage. Very clear hallmarks.

Unusual cape shellback tablespoon, this is the only example of a Cape shellback we have seen. Very clear English pseudo hallmarks and makers mark. Twentyman moved to India in 1832, where he continued to trade as a silversmith.

Pleasing associated set of Cape tableforks, 5 by Lawrence Twentyman, one by his contempory John Townsend. Very clear hallmarks, showing the wide variety of hallmarking styles used by the Cape silversmiths. 2 forks have the initial W on the back.

Attractive set of pierced and engraved fish servers, with a very comfortable feel. Albany pattern handles, which are loaded. The Albany pattern was the only 19th century pattern to join the standard patterns after 1860. It was named after Queen Victoria's youngest son, the Duke of Albany, who died in 1884. Very clear hallmarks.

Beautiful set of dainty Art Deco cake forks, in original box. Very clear hallmarks on all 6 forks. Charles Fletcher took over the firm Brewis and Co in 1907, the firm still exists today.

Typically Cape konfyt fork. Smith was a Dane who arrived in the Cape in 1757 as a VOC employee. The hallmark is partially obscured, with only LS of the MLS visible (overstruck?), but his 2 distinctive leaves are clearly visible.

Beautiful and rare Cape spoon of unusual size and shape, with engraved initials AMW. It is teaspoon size but has a long stem, leading us to believe it is a mash spoon. Mash spoons were used to stir the teapot to assist brewing. Lotter produced very fine silver, although only for 4 years (1813-1817), indicating he probably died young. Very distinct makers mark.

Plain Cape tablespoon with very clear hallmarks, showing makers initials between two Fleur de Lys.

This spoon has an original inscription, "IIH en EL, 1812". These are presumably the initials of the owners and the date of their wedding. A set of 6 tableforks by the same maker and with the same inscription are pictured in David Heller's 2nd Cape Silver book, "Further researches in Cape Silver", page 46, plate 5, with description on page 41. An additional pair of tableforks with the same inscription are present in the Africana Museum, and are pictured in the book "Cape Silver" by Stephan Welz, pg 67.

Cape sauce ladle with very clear hallmarks, the makers initials struck twice between 3 roses. Beets was the illegitimate son of the German Balthus Beets of Neubrandenburg and the Cape slave Angana.

Early Cape tablespoon of Hanoverian pattern, with the end of the spoon turning up.

Beautiful pair of plain Cape tablespoons, with very clear makers mark. Both these spoons have the initial H lightly engraved on the back of the spoon shafts.

Cape tablefork in good condition, with very clear pseudo English hallmarks and makers mark. Initials ADL on the back of the fork.

A magnificent silver gilt snuffbox, with a cast panel of a scene from Greek mythology, showing Hebe, Goddess of Youth, feeding Jupiter (disguised as an eagle) with Ambrosia, the nectar of eternal youth. Hebe, or Juventas in Latin, was the cup bearer to the Gods, responsible for feeding them "Heavens Wine" to provide immortality. The box is engine turned, and has a flower head thumb pull. This box is of outstanding quality, and is heavy and has a pleasing feel. Hallmarks are very clear.

Plain inkstand with an interesting historical inscription. The glass ink bottles are square cut, and the stand has scrolling borders and knurled feet. The inscription, in both English and Afrikaans, reads: To General Botha in commemoration of the opening by him of the Volksrust-Bethal Railway at Wakkerstroom on his Birthday 27th September 1916". Botha, who was Commandant in charge of the Boer forces in the Anglo Boer War of 1900-1902, became the first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa in 1910. He remained Prime Minister until his death in 1919.

Fabulous matching set of 24 spoons (table and dessert) with griffon crest. The tablespoons are large and heavy enough to use as serving spoons. Very clear hallmarks and crest on all 24 spoons.

Elegant, plain, oval shaped boat shaped salts with beaded rim, on an oval pedestal. Interiors are gilt. Very clear hallmarks. These are good quality salts by a well regarded maker.

Delightful 8 piece miniature Coffee set including coffeepot, with composition handle, milk jug, sugar basin, 2 cups and saucers, and a two handled tray. The interiors are gilt, and each of the 8 pieces is clearly hallmarked (including the coffee pot lid). Saunders and Sheperd were well known for their miniatures.

An important piece of Boer War memorabilia, celebrating the relief of Mafeking. A piecrust salver with beaded border and scrolled engraving. The hallmarks are clear, makers mark BB, possibly Barker Brothers. The salver has the crest of the Imperial Light Horse (ILH), which was raised in Johannesburg by English speaking South Africans to fight as part of the "Uitlander Army", on the side of the British during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). The crest has 2 crossed flags (Union Jack and Transvaal Republic). The inscription reads " Officers Patrol, who rode with Major Karri Davies into Mafeking on the night of May 16th 1900. J Dryden, AB Duirs, EW Warby, J Emerton, LM Harvey, G Seymour, HF Francis, EA Betton. Presented to HF Francis by Major Karri Davies." Major Davies was 2IC of the ILH, and was quite a character. He was a key participant of the Jameson Raid, and spent time in prison after its disasterous end. This salver commemorates his leading the first English contingent into Mafeking, thus ending the si...

Beautiful 17th century memorial (memento mori) matching spoon and fork set in outstanding condition, we feel they deserve to be in a museum. Both have cast triangular handles with an unusual finial, which appears to be a naked woman with a serpents head. The fork has 3 prongs, and the spoon has a crude short rattail. Both are engraved " SARA LEWES Obyt 7 Juny 1672". This set is illustrated and described on page 90-91 of the book "Cape Silver" by Stephan Welz, 1976. Welz describes them as possibly Cape, but we feel they are more likely to be Dutch. A very similar spoon is depicted on page 142 of "Dutch Silver" by M.H. Guns, the spoon has an almost identical bowl and shaft. No hallmarks are present. Note: - The curator of the Silver Dept, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, has now described this set as Auricular form, typical of Netherlands in the second half of the 17 th century. His opinion is that it is probably colonial, as known Dutch examples have hallmarks. This set has now been featured in an excellent article in ...

Beautiful pair of heavy egg spoons with Madras Artillery crest, in the Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern. Very clear hallmarks. George Adams was the proprietor of Chawner and Co., the most important firm of silver spoon and fork manufacturers in Victorian England.

Typical Cape konfyt fork in the Fiddle pattern, with an unknown makers mark, not recorded by Morrison, Heller or Welz. The mark is clear, JB between an unknown device, possibly a bird?

Asparagus server with plain handle and blades with pierced floral design, one blade has a lip. Hallmarks are clear, the spring is also marked with a lion passant. Wellby was reknowned for its fine copies of earlier designs, and supplied many leading retailers, including Barnard & Sons. They were located in Garrick St, Covent Garden from 1866 - 1965.

A rare Cape Silver twisted stem konfyt (preserve) fork, with spearhead handle and typical Cape floral engraving. This is similar to the pair (item S 1188), but the engraved flower lacks foliage and the only hallmark present is the makers mark, which is very clear.

A rare matching pair of twisted stem konfyt (preserve) fork and spoon, the fork having 3 prongs. They have spearhead handles, with typical Cape floral engraving, and very clear hallmarks. Similar forks and spoons are illustrated in Heller's History of Cape Silver (Vol 1, pg 148) and Welz's Cape Silver (pg 41). Byleveld worked from 53 Loop Street and 31 Waterkant Street from 1814 - 1827, when he died age 35.

Plain Cape butterknife with scimitar blade, and clear Pseudo English hallmarks. The makers mark is not present, but these particular Pseudo marks were only used by Twentyman (mark 134 in Welz, Cape Silver).

A very typical Cape snuff box, relatively crude in comparison to its English counterparts. Rectangular, rounded corners, bright cut wrigglework enclosing initials ECP, gadrooned thumbpiece. Interior has gilt remnants. Very clear makers mark.

Early pair of bright cut English provincial sugar tongs with clear makers and duty mark, however date and town mark are not present. Quite heavy and solid, have a nice feel. Initials TMM on bow.

A rare Cape twisted stem teaspoon, with spearhead handle and typical Cape floral engraving, and clear hallmarks. It is very similar to those made by Jan Byleveld circa 1820, so we can only assume it was made by Vos to match an earlier one made by Byleveld. Vos worked from 127 Long Street for 8 years, before dying at the young age of 27. He was one of the last working Cape silversmiths.

Regimental spoon with Feather edge pattern and gilt bowl by George Adams, the highly regarded Victorian spoonmaker. The spoon has an engraved Royal Crown finial with mounted cross, containing 2 Fleur de Lys. The crown is above an 8 pointed star, containing a crest (hunting horn below ICRV) and the motto "Salus Populi Suprema Lex", which translates as "The health of the people is the supreme law". ICRV stands for Inns of Court Rifle Volunteers, which was a regiment supplied by members of the legal profession belonging to the 4 Inns of London (Lincoln's, Gray's, Inner Temple, Middle Temple). The regiment, which was active in the 18th century, was reformed in 1860 as the 23 Middlesex (Inns of Court) Rifle Volunteer Corps at Lincoln's Inn. The crest sits above an engraved chalice. The spoon is an unusual size, being larger than a teaspoon but smaller than a dessert spoon. The hallmarks are very clear, and in addition to the usual marks also include an additional mark C, possibly a journeyman's mark.

A typical early Georgian two handled punch strainer, which was used for straining orange and lemon pips in the preparation of punch, which was a very popular drink in early 18th century Britian (before wine became popular). The bowl is pierced with 81 crosses arranged in a square, surrounded by pierced foliate decoration. The rim is reeded, and the handles are typical of the period. The strainer has an attractive crest of a clenched fist holding 3 three leaf clovers.The bowl interior is hallmarked with the makers mark struck 4 times, 3 of which are partially obscured by the pierced crosses, and one of which is fully intact and very clear.

Small Liberty cymric bowl set with turquoises, probably designed by Archibald Knox. Knox was renowned for his use of semi precious stones with silver.

Swedish Art Nouveau bowl with superb bearded iris design repeated on 4 sides of the bowl, by a well known Swedish maker. The lip of the bowl is wavy, in keeping with the style. Hallmarks are clear, being CG HALLBERG, triple crown Swedish national mark, St Erik's head for Stockholm, and Y6 datestamp for 1901. (Note: please forgive our previous incorrect attribution of this bowl to Copenhagen).

Delightful grape scissors with a fox amongst grapes and vines, definitely the nicest grape scissors we have ever seen. The handles are cast, with the design repeated on both sides. Both arms are clearly hallmarked. The shears are all silver, with no steel inserts. These scissors are still in their original box. James Edward Hutton joined his father's firm (William Hutton & Sons) in 1880. The firm supplied many leading retailers, including the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co, Mappin and Webb, and Neill Ltd of Ireland.

Art Deco octagonal sweet dish with Ivory handles, with very clear hallmarks. This dish could also be used for teabags, and would fit very nicely with the Deco tea service (item S179).

Cape Konfyt (preserve) fork with 3 prongs, with clear English Pseudo hallmarks and makers initials. Silver Konfyt forks are unique to the Cape.

A Fiddle pattern Cape Silver Tablefork by a well regarded Cape Silversmith, with engraved initials AW. The hallmarks are clear, being the makers mark struck twice. Lotter worked as a silversmith from 1810 - 1835, and was regarded by Heller as one of the finest of all Cape silversmiths.

Cast silver gilt sifter spoon, with pirate finial, and shell shaped bowl. This is a lovely spoon of good quality, the pirate finial has very good detail. George Fox was part of the famous Fox family of silversmiths, who supplied many of the leading retailers in their day. As is common with Fox silver, this spoon replicates an earlier style. The hallmarks are well struck, but slightly defaced by a scratch.

Typically late Victorian sugar sifter with ornate cast handle depicting flowers and foliage, and gilded bowl. Hallmarks very clear.

Early sealtop spoon with squat fluted baluster terminal, engraved with original owners initials VV (or W). These initials are repeated on the bowl above the hallmark. The stem is hexagonal and tapered, and the V joint attaching the finial is clearly visible. The bowl has deep concave sides, and curves steeply from the base of the stem. The stem has 3 hallmarks at the base, a clearly visible "orb and cross" makers mark, and worn marks indicating lion passant and date mark S. The bowl has the usual towmmark, but this is worn, with only the outline visible. This spoon comes complete with an original receipt from H Perovetz Ltd of London, who sold it to Mr McCay of South Africa in 1979 for 700 pounds. The receipt and original Perovetz tag confirms the maker and date, and refers to Jackson pg 105 and How pg 228, plate 8. (Note: In our previous description we had mentioned some doubt about the London attribution, suggesting the makers mark could possibly be the Cobbold's of Norwich, given the shape of the shield ...

Early Georgian sugar nips with scroll work arms and scallop shell grips. Scratched initials MD in hinge box. Marks (makers and lion passant) on outer side of finger ring, however the makers mark is only partially visible and appears to be ig (which we are informed could possibly be Phillips Garden). The date mark absent as is usual for nips of this period.

Set of six Irish teaspoons, with an interesting falcon crest, in the Fiddle pattern. These spoons are larger than many other teaspoons (slightly longer and heavier). The hallmarks are very clear on all spoons.

Rare Cape Basting spoon (Old English pattern) with a large and deep bowl, and very clear hallmarks. The bowl is also wider than English versions, as can be seen from the comparative photo. The spoon also has a thick drop. Jan Lotter, who worked from 22 Keerom Street, only produced silver for 4 years from 1813 - 1817.

Matching set of 5 Fiddle pattern Cape teaspoons, with engraved initials MIH. Very clear pseudo English hallmarks.

Beautiful christening set (boxed spoon and fork) with Hey diddle diddle nursery rhyme, in original box. Exquisite detail, as can be seen from the photographs. Spoon bowl shows detail of complete nursery rhyme. The shafts have a dog, the cow jumping the moon and the cat (who has mysteriously switched from a fiddle to a cello!). Levi and Salaman were well known for their large selection of intricate souvenir spoons. Very clear hallmarks.

A lovely cast silver belt buckle, probably a nurses buckle depicting a bird, butterfly, flowers and bullrushes (on each buckle). The quality is exceptional, the design is well modelled with lovely detail. The buckle was designed by Winifred Green (wife of Charles), who was a talented designer (Source Culme, London goldsmiths). Charles established the firm in 1903, so this buckle was one of their earlier pieces. The firm still exists today, and has a showroom in Cross St, Hatton Gardens, London. The hallmark is extremely clear.

Aide memoire with 2 pierced silver covers, with a rose amongst scrolling foliage, and rope border. The silver protects 2 tortoiseshell covers, which in turn cover the ivory pages. Both silver covers are fully hallmarked, as is the clasp. The original owners shopping list is still visible in pencil. This miniature notebook would have hung from a chatelaine. Oldridge was the sole partner of Grey and Co of Great Portland Street. The firm was noted for its novelties, and supplied many leading retailers, including Asprey & Co.

Early provincial waiter of good gauge and in outstanding condition. The waiter has a shell and scroll rim, lion paw feet and an interesting Stag crest. The hallmarks are exceptionally clear, even the castle windows are clear in the town mark! The base is also scratch engraved with the weight, being 7.2 oz pnt.

A good associated set of Onslow Tablespoons, of good gauge and with good ends, very pleasing to use. The 3 oldest spoons are original Onslow, and have the owners initials L+D scratch engraved on them. The 3 later spoons were converted in late Victorian times, a common practice (Ian Pickford comments in his excellent Flatware book that most Onslow pattern flatware that exists today is converted). A very faint butt joint can be detected on close examination with a loop, but is so faint it cannot be seen by the naked eye and is not visible in photographs. The hallmarks are all clear, the Adams spoons have an indented duty mark.

A pair of Fiddle pattern Cape tableforks, with clear English Pseudo hallmarks, but no makers mark. As these marks were only used by Lawrence Twentyman, we can be certain of the maker.

Beautiful, solid, engine turned box with vacant cartouche. Excellent hinge and very snug closure. This box is a very good weight and slightly larger than other snuffboxes. Attractive thumbpiece and gilt interior.

Pleasant set of 4 Cape Silver Fiddle pattern teaspoons. Very clear hallmarks showing makers initials between device.

Stunning pair of very good quality 2 pronged pickle forks of 800 purity, with a beautiful jugendstil design on both the back and the front of the forks, and horseshoe pattern above the prongs. The box is intact, but showing signs of its age. The hallmarks are very clear, depicting the German moon, crown, 800 purity and a double headed eagle, the makers mark for Bruckmann. Bruckmann were the largest silver producer in Germany, and were noted for their Jugendstil designs.

A lovely porringer in the style of Charles II. Spot hammered, embossed with acanthus leaves and scroll handles with dolphin head. This porringer is very good quality, amongst the best we have seen. George Fox was a member of the well known Fox family of silversmiths, who supplied some of the leading silver retailers of the day. They are particularly well known for their fine copies of earlier styles (as is this piece). Britannia silver is higher grade than sterling silver, being 950/1000, as opposed to sterling's 925/1000.

A collectable castle-top vinaigrette depicting Kenilworth castle, by the famous maker Nathaniel Mills. The pierced grill has scrolling foliage, the base is engine turned and engraved "Ernest". The hallmarks are clear, on both lid and base. We previously incorrectly identified this castle as Warwick castle.

Plain Irish meat skewer with flat blade, and shoulder pattern beneath ring. The hallmarks are very clear, note the lack of a duty mark, as duty was only introduced on Irish silver in 1808. Initials VG. Neville was an extremely well regarded Dublin silversmith, who served as Warden and Master of the Goldsmith's Company. He was elected to the Dublin City Council in 1807.

Beautifully made coffeepot with chased detail, a wooden handle and an ivory finial. Very fine maker, as evidenced by the royal warrant. Very clear hallmarks, (including lid) and "Garrards, Panton Street London" on base. It is interesting to note that even the securing nut that holds the finial in place is hallmarked - true quality!

Melon shaped teaservice of extremely good gauge, consisting of teapot, creamer and sugarbowl, with gilt interior. The design is beautiful, and has angular engraving. This set is extremely well made, with fantastic attention to detail - the teapot hinge is an example of this (see photo). All 3 pieces are fully hallmarked with clear hallmarks, including the teapot lid. A truly beautiful tea service by very fine makers.

Unusual spring loaded silver patented bookmark with textured pattern, in full working order. Both arms are hallmarked and stamped "Made in England", in addition to full hallmarks on body. Patent number 257529. Suitable for hard cover books. We think this would have made an excellent gift for a returning serviceman. The rectangular piece slides onto the front cover of a hard cover book, the spring arm reserves the page. The bookmark stays in place when closed and when you are reading.

A lovely set of early Scottish tablespoons, complete with a double drop, by John Welsh, who was entered in 1742, and who made the Liberta Communion cups. The makers mark and townmark are very clear on both spoons, the date mark and thistle are visible one one spoon (slight wear), and worn on the other.

Pleasing early Scottish bottom - marked spoon, with very clear hallmarks, and good weight.

Scottish Fiddle pattern table forks, appear unused, with tines in excellent condition. Very clear hallmarks.

Pleasant set of Scottish Fiddle pattern tablespoons, of very good weight and by a well known maker. Extremely clear hallmarks on all spoons.

Beautiful set of ornate berryspoons, originally by Hester Bateman but converted during Victorian times. The conversion must have been done by a master craftsman as the quality is excellent. The gilt bowls display no wear, these spoons have not seen much use. Delightful crest of a dove holding an olive branch, so I suppose these are peace spoons! The hallmarks are very clear, including the Hester Bateman makers mark.

A silver "two-cigar" case, with Boer War inscription "Dr Kellner, from a Grateful "Australian" Patient, Bloemfontein, 1900". The Australian is in inverted comma's. The case is well made, good quality and gauge, and quite solid. The interior is gilded, and the hallmarks are clear on both sides of the case. H. Matthews was a large and well known Birmingham firm. Bloemfontein was the capital of the Orange Free State, and was surrendered to the British on 13 March 1900. Thirty thousand British troops entered Bloemfontein, and thanks to poor sanitation a typhoid epidemic broke out, which caused hundreds if not thousands of deaths. Doctors (who included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) were in short supply, with 3 doctors per 350 patients (Pakenham, The Boer War, pg 382) - which no doubt led to the generosity of our unnamed "Australian". Today Bloemfontein hospital is on Kellner Street, we are not sure if there is a connection.

Beautiful, elegant, early Old English pattern sauce ladles, with a long drop and engraved initials JIL. Smith and Fearn were leading spoonmakers, and the hallmarks are very clear.

A truly stunning Nathaniel Mills gilt vinaigrette, slightly larger than average. The box is gilt with scrolling foliate decoration, and has the initials JL engraved on the lid. The grille is beautiful, with intricate flowers and scrolling vegetation. The inscription is engraved on an inserted plate (which covers the date stamp) and reads "Presented to Dr Lamprey as a token of gratitude for his kind and unremitting attention to the Rev.d Dr Fraill during his last illness 21 April 1847".

Cape Silver Fiddle pattern teaspoon with very clear hallmarks (mark 11 in Welz).

Cape Fiddle pattern dessert spoon with an interesting crest, crudely engraved, of a raised arm holding an axe. Hallmarks are clear, DB repeated twice between two stars.

A hand hammered silver bowl on upturned base, with silver ball feet and decoration. It is beautifully made, of good gauge, and is engraved "To Ian Desborough Elliot from his Godmother, 1901. In small things liberty, in great things unity, in all things charity". The hallmarks are clear, including the makers mark. The Guild of Handicraft Ltd was formed by Charles Robert Ashbee in 1898, and worked from New Bond Street. It went into liquidation in 1908, amidst complaints that the large London firms plagiarised designs and sold them cheaper. The Guild consisted of 50 craftsmen, and each item was made by hand.

A lovely Victorian silver Christening spoon of very good quality in original leather case, reproducing the earlier 17th century Dognose pattern (as was popular in late Victorian times). The hallmarks are clear, including journeymans mark (the journeyman was the silversmith who made the spoon in the George Adams' workshop). George Adams was highly regarded, and was the leading spoonmaker of Victorian England

Realistically modelled cast silver shell, with 4 shell spikes used as feet. It has lovely detail, and is very good quality. The only hallmark present is 800. having never seen one of these before, we are not sure of its origin or use, perhaps it is a salt.

A beautiful and classic Art Deco silver tea service, consisting of teapot, coffeepot, milk jug and sugarbowl. The set is extremely well made, and is a very good weight. The set has ivory handles and finials, and deco engraving. The milk jug and sugarbowl have gilt interiors. All four pieces are fully hallmarked, with clear hallmarks. Viners are well known for their deco silver.

Cape Silver Fiddle pattern tablespoon, with very clear pseudo English hallmarks, including dutymark, bird, castle and date letter B. No makers mark is present, but as only Lawrence Twentyman used this sequence of marks we can be sure of its origin.

Very rare set of plain fiddle pattern Scottish provincial sugar tongs with extremely clear hallmarks on both arms - AS TAIN. Initials GC engraved on bow. Stewart was a very skilled craftsman (Quick, Ballance of Silver) who originally worked in Inverness (1796 - 1812), then moved to Tain. He died in 1841. Only 160 pieces of Tain silver by Stewart are known to exist, and only three quarters of these have the TAIN townmark. (Quick, Ballance of Silver). Tain, which has long been a pilgrims destination visiting St Duthac's shrine, is the home of Glenmorangie Whisky, made by "The 16 men of Tain".

An extremely rare Cape Silver vinaigrette, with attractive engraving, a sunburst surrounding a wreath contained in a rectangle on the lid, the base and sides also decorated with naive but attractive zig-zag and dot engraving, typical of colonial Cape silversmiths. The grille is also decorated by hand, with a crude flower and foliage surrounded by hand punched holes in squares. The interior is gilt. Both the lid and base are struck with 3 poorly struck hallmarks, which appear to be the lion passant between 2 castles. However the grille is struck with a very clear LT makers mark, without doubt that of Lawrence Twentyman. The only other known example of a Cape vinaigrette, by Martinus Lourens Smith, appeared at Sothebys Cape Town in February 2007 (Lot 428). None of the Cape silver reference books (Welz, Heller) mention vinaigrettes.

A delightful associated pair of Madeira wine labels, with Bacchus masks amongst foliage. The labels were made 4 years apart, but obviously cast from the same mould, by the same maker. The hallmarks on both labels are very clear. The order of the hallmarks is the same, but different punches were used as they are different sizes. This design must have been popular for Willmore to have been producing it for at least a 4 year period. Note the slightly different chain fixture (one has an arm with single loop, the other 2 loops but no arm). One chain appears original, the other is a later replacement.

Fiddle Pattern Konfyt fork, typical of those produced in the Cape. The fork is engraved "Irene". Konfyt forks were made and sold as individual items in the Cape (Welz, Cape Silver). The hallmarks are very clear, makers initials MLS between 2 Fleur de Lys (one is unclear). Smith was a VOC employee from Denmark who arrived in the Cape in 1757. He married 4 times, had 10 children and died in 1806.

A lovely Irish silver torque, hand crafted with clearly visible hand hammered marks. This is a neck torque (as opposed to a bangle torque intended for a wrist). Torques are a traditional Celtic design. Padraig O'Mathuna worked from the lovely town of Cashel in Tipperary. Cashel is the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster.

Georgian Irish Fiddle pattern sugar tongs, with very clear hallmarks. They also have the original owners initials (W over CW) scratch engraved in 18th century style (not script). Cummins worked from 1813 to 1846, so these tongs were made very early in his career. He worked from 31 Exchequer Street, and his name was also recorded as Cumying.

A unique collection of 12 early Georgian Hanoverian tablespoons, 8 being George II and four being George III. Sets of flatware from this period are extremely rare, most spoons were made singly or in pairs. All the spoons have clear hallmarks, with visible date letters and makers marks (all but 2 have the makers identified). Five of the spoons are shellbacks, two are scrollbacks, the remaining 5 have double drops. Nine spoons have contempory initials and two have later initials. One spoon has an additional later hallmark JP (John Page, 1900), indicating it may have been repaired at this stage. Identified makers include Thomas Pye, Richard Gosling, Marmaduke Daintry and Robert Sallam.

A very interesting pair of early Georgian Hanoverian tablespoons made by the same person (1 year apart), but with different makers marks (EJ and EO). The first was made in 1749 by Elizabeth Jackson (widow of Charles Jackson), the second circa 1750 by Elizabeth Oldfield (she remarried in 1750, hence the name change - and registered a new mark the same year). Both spoons are of good gauge, and have a long drop. The first spoon has very clear hallmarks, the second has clear makers mark, but other marks worn. One spoon has a worn crest of a dove carrying an olive branch.

A lovely octagonal bachelors 4 piece tea and coffee service, consisting of teapot, coffeepot, sugarbowl and milkjug, all of exceptional quality and weight, by a very fine maker. The set are replicas of an early Georgian style circa 1720, with each and every detail faithful to the original style. This includes shape, handles, finials, even the hinges and spouts are correct. All are fully hallmarked with clear hallmarks, including the lids. The coffeepot, sugarbowl and creamer are all 1932, the teapot is 1939, but in exactly the same style by the same maker. Heming & Co, a prestigous firm with premises in Regent Street, London, was amalgamated into William Bruford in 1981.

A delightful ladle shape sugar sifter, with an unusual pattern of stars, crosses and a half moon oval device. The pattern was cut by hand, and appears a little crude. The handle is initialled HI, and the hallmarks are clear with the exception of the makers mark, which is poorly struck, although still discernable.

A collectable silver Castle-Top card case, depicting the Royal Exchange in high relief, by the famous Nathaniel Mills. This castle-top is very fine quality, the relief design stands out 1 cm from the case, and the detail is superb.The case is finely chased with flowers, leaves and C scrolls, and the rear cartouche is monogrammed MRI. The cartouche is a old replacement - a new cartouche has been cut out and added, to accommodate the initials of a new owner. This has been well done and does not detract. The Royal Exchange is situated in London next to the Bank of England. It was opened for trading by Queen Victoria in 1845, this case was probably made to commemorate the opening. The Royal Exchange still exists today, but is now a luxury shopping centre. The hallmarks and makers marks are clear

A large size enamel silver engine turned cigarette case, depicting a scantily clad 1940's pin-up girl. The interior is gilt, and is engraved "Brian from Mamie 19th December 1950". Hallmarks are clear, including "Made in England", both sides are hallmarked, even the clasp has a .925 hallmark. W.T. Toghill & Co worked between 1927 and 1951.

Magnificent enamel silver cigarette case, depicting a Boston Terrier, (brindle with white muzzle) of very good quality. The detail of the enamel is extremely good. The box is engine turned, and has a gilt interior. Both sides of the box are hallmarked with clear marks. John Thompson & Sons, which was formed in the 1860's, still trades as a Jewellers at 20 Rosebury Ave, London.

Interesting set of 3 wine labels, for Port, Sherry and RRandy! - the original engraver made quite a mistake! The labels are Brittania silver (950 as opposed to sterling 925)and have a Georgian scroll design, in the style of Hester Bateman, circa 1785. They have zig zag engraved borders, and a small blank heraldic shield above the scroll. Levi and Salaman were well regarded, known for their work in reproducing the Georgian style.

Rectangular, plain but elegant teapot on 4 ball feet, characteristic of the style between 1805 and 1810. Wooden handle and ivory finial. Beautiful tree stump crest, excellent hallmarks, including lid.

A rare Irish silver Freedom Box, engraved with the coat of arms of the city of Londonderry, in Northern Ireland. Freedom boxes are typically Irish, and were used as presentation pieces to distinguished non- residents who received the honorary freedom of the city (Bennett, Collecting Irish Silver). Example from Dublin, Youghal, Limerick and Cork are known (Bennett), Londonderry is rare. The coat of arms includes a skeleton sitting on a hill, with a turreted castle, and the George Cross and dagger of London above. The skeleton is thought to represent starvation during the great siege. The city motto "Vita Veritas Victoria" (Life, Truth, Victory) is engraved below. The engraving quality is superb, with delicate flowers and chased C scrolls. The decorated lid is a separate panel that has been set into a presumably plain table snuff box. The box has a curved thumbpull for easy opening, and is gilded interior and exterior, with exception of the base. The only hallmarks present are the makers mark (struck twice, on ...

A delightful pair of Cape silver Konfyt forks, in the rare Fiddle and Shell pattern. The forks also have a bevelled edge, and are single struck. Fiddle and Shell pattern is scarce (Pickford, Silver Flatware), Cape silver in this pattern is very rare. The hallmarks on both forks are very clear, being makers mark MLS between 2 Fleur de Lys. Smith was a Dane who arrived in the Cape in 1757. He married 4 times, had 10 children, and died in 1806 (Welz, Cape Silver).

A beautiful Arts and Craft teapot and sugarbowl, with rosewood handles attached with silver rivets, and a conch shell motif, inspired by an Aztec design. These are from the Spratling First Design Period (1931-1946), and have the WS Print circle hallmark and Sterling mark. Spratling was an American architect who settled in Taxco, Mexico, and revived the art of silversmithing there. A similar teapot (but with a silver handle) is illustrated on page 47 of the book Spratling Silver, Centennial Edition, by Sandraline Cederwall and Hal Riney.

A handbeaten, three legged, Arts and Crafts sweet bowl, with leaf and paw feet. In addition to the hallmarks (which are clear) the bowl is stamped "Connell, 83 Cheapside". Connell's was a highly regarded firm which was situated at 83 Cheapside from 1845 until it went into voluntary liquidation in 1939, probably as a result of the outbreak of war. Connell's of Cheapside have been described as "pioneers of modern artistic silverware" (Pudney, Silver Society Journal 11), one of the few traditional London dealers that promoted the Arts and Crafts movement. Much of their silver was produced by WH Haseler, William Hutton & Sons and AE Jones.

A lovely Irish soup ladle in the Fiddle pattern, with an attractive, naive tulip crest. The handle is beautifully curved, so much that the top of the handle is at right angles to the bowl, which makes holding this ladle a pleasure. The bowl, which is quite large, is shaped with high edges which assists pouring the soup out of the ladle. The hallmarks are very clear. Sawyer worked from Fishamble Street from 1797 - 1812, when he died - meaning this ladle was one of his last works.

A Scottish Provincial Fiddle pattern soup ladle, with exceptionally clear and distinct hallmarks, deeply struck with no wear - these hallmarks are rare. The ladle is a good gauge, very solid, and fit for use, and is engraved with the initial I in contempory style. The bowl has a good shape, with raised edges, a feature of earlier ladles. The hallmarks are makers mark CF, ELGIN, cathedral wall and St Giles. The cathedral hallmark represents the west front of Elgin Cathedral Church (Jackson, pg 601), St Giles is its patron saint. The detail of the hallmarks is very good, with windows, door, double roof and battlements visible in the cathedral, and cloak, nimbus, staff and book visible in St Giles. Charles Fowler worked from 1809-1824, most of his silver is marked ELN (as opposed to ELGIN in full), the combination with the cathedral wall and St Giles is scarce.

Early Dutch bottom-marked silver tablefork, with transitional elements from Dognose to early Hanoverian pattern. The fork has a distinct Dognose, and a very pronounced rib on the front of the fork. The fork has a double drop, with the "Hague Leaflet" (lofje), a little lip at the join of the handle, typical of flatware made in The Hague (as opposed to Amsterdam) (source Dutch Silver, pg 83, MH Gans). The fork is of good gauge, very pleasing to hold, and engraved with the initials HLZW on the back. The hallmarks are exceptionally clear, showing makers mark (triangle device), lion rampant silver guarantee mark (875), Rotterdam city mark, and date letter b for 1736. The fork also has a puzzling and rare 5th hallmark (added later), being the duty mark used in the Netherlands between 1807 and 1810, for articles of foreign manufacture without payment of duty (source Tardy, International Hallmarks on Silver, pg 317). We can only surmise the fork was re-imported into the Netherlands at that time.

A fine example of a Scottish Georgian Silver toddy ladle, by very fine makers. The ladle is Fiddle pattern, and is engraved with the initial C, in contempory style. Toddy ladles are uniquely Scottish, used for that "wee dram" of spirits, but also suitable as sauce ladles. The hallmarks are very clear and detailed (the tree, fish and bell in the Glasgow town mark are all visible), an additional "star" journeymans mark is also present. Robert Gray and Sons of Glasgow produced "some of the finest British silver of the period" (Walter Brown, Finial, June 2006). Silver by Gray can be found with both Glasgow and Edinburgh marks, as between 1784 and 1819 the Glasgow assay office was closed.

Fine pair of Fiddle pattern Scottish toddy ladles, with engraved initials WG. The makers mark is very clearly RC, possibly Robert Carfrae, who was an Edinburgh unfreeman in the early 1800's (Source Rod Dietert, who wrote Scottish Compendium) - this maker is not recorded in Jacksons. We had originally suggested Robert Clark, this is now proved incorrect as he joined the military and settled in North America circa 1800. Hallmarks very clear. We have now been informed this mark belongs to Robert Chisholm, who worked alone from 1833-1835, when he formed the very successful partnership of Mackay & Chisholm (source Henry Fothringham, Historian to the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the city of Edinburgh, website www.incorporationofgoldsmiths.co.uk).

4 piece tea service comprising teapot, hot water jug, creamer and sugar, by the well known craftsman A.E. Jones. They are beautifully made, with spot hammered bodies and cast disc feet. A simple design of an embossed band with roses is present, as is the engraved initial R. All pieces are fully hallmarked with clear hallmarks, including the lids and even the finial screwnut.

A lovely Edwardian Christening set, comprising of a replica rattail trefid spoon with ribbed rattail, very distinct notches, with matching fork, in original box. Both have very clear hallmarks. Francis Higgins was a specialist spoon and fork maker, who carried a hammer with him in the workshop to destroy any work not up to his standards (Culme, Gold and Silversmiths). He also commented "it should last more than a lifetime, boy" - he would have been proud of this pair. Higgins supplied leading dealers, including Hunt & Roskell and Garrard, this set was retailed by Mappin & Webb of Oxford Street.

A lovely set of replica laceback rattail trefid spoons, decorated in traditional style, both on the front of the stems and the back of the bowls. The rattail is ribbed, the scrolls are elaborate, and the terminals have the traditional notched pattern. These spoons are Brittania standard (950 grade vs. 925 of sterling), as is often the case with early 20th century replica silver. These spoons are very good quality, and the hallmarks are very clear on all 6 spoons.

Very fine pair of heavy, embossed rectangular salts on raised base by well known maker. The decoration is embossed scroll, shell and floral with gadrooned rims. The crest is a dove with an olive branch in its beak. These salts are heavy even without the glass liners.

Lovely Nathaniel Mills cigar case with a beautifully engraved hunting scene, a dog chasing two grouse. The entire case is engraved with scrolls, and the cartouche is engraved "Carole". Hallmarks on the lid and base are very clear.

Bright cut helmet shaped cream jug with beaded rim and square base, very typical of the period. Clear hallmarks, with evidence hallmarks were applied before the bright cut engraving. Cartouche has initials engraved on it. Very interesting makers name!

A sterling silver caddy spoon, with the engraved crest of the Royal Mint of Pretoria. The spoon is good quality, a pleasing weight and the crest is very clear. The Royal Mint of Pretoria was opened in 1923 as a branch of the Royal Mint of London. It broke ties with London in 1941, becoming the South African Mint. The Royal Mint of Pretoria branch was one of 6 Royal Mint branches, the others in Canada (Ottawa), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne and Perth) and India (Bombay). The Pretoria Mint produced British gold sovereigns between 1923 and 1932, these carry the SA mint mark. The caddy spoon hallmarks are clear, being 925, silver and RMP makers mark. We assume the spoon was made in 1923 to commemorate the opening of the Mint.

A Boer War teaspoon, with a very detailed Lee-Metford rifle as the shaft. The bowl is engraved "Souvenir of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1900". The rifle is very detailed, even the strap holes and buckle are visible.The butt of the rifle is engraved Lee-Metford, and the bayonet connects the bowl to the rifle. The hallmarks are very clear, as is the registration number "Rd No 349937". A similar spoon is illustrated in the book "Boer War Memorabilia" by Pieter Oosthuizen, figure 8 on page 119. The Lee-Metford rifle was soon replaced by the Lee-Enfield, which had the advantage of smokeless powder.

Silver pierced vine leaf sherry label, made by the highly regarded Rawlings and Summers. The hallmarks, which are small but very clear, are on the front of the label. The chain appears original.

Outstanding example of Dutch Art Deco silver, by a highly regarded silversmith and designer Harm Ellens, who executed designs for Hooykaas in the twenties (source Krekel-Aalberse, Art Nouveau and Art Deco Silver). The teapot, cream jug and lidded sugar basin have ebonised wooden handles and finials, in 833 silver. All 3 pieces are a good weight, and pleasing to use. All 3 pieces are fully hallmarked with clear hallmarks, including the teapot and sugarbowl lids. The hallmarks include makers mark HH, Lion Passant for 833 standard silver, (with keymark indicating it was made for export), Perseus duty mark with mint mark M on helmet, indicating Schoonhoven assay office, date letter M for 1922 (source Tardy, International hallmarks). The base of each also has the hallmark M2 and a scratched number 42299.

An extremely rare, Brittania silver, rattail soup ladle in the Hanoverian pattern, of good gauge. The patination on the ladle is lovely, and the bowl, rattail and handle are in proportion, with no sign of alteration. The ladle has the initials E*G scratch engraved on the back of the handle. The stem rises at a sharp angle (almost 90 degrees) to the bowl, the characteristics of a ladle as opposed to a spoon. Snodin (English silver spoons, 1974, pg 46) describes the earliest ladles as dating from the 1730's, this is a rare early example. The hallmarks are worn but visible, the makers mark is very worn, with only the outline of the shield and a ghosting of the makers initials visible. The date letter is poorly struck, but visible enought to determine D from 1719 fairly confidently. Given the wear on the makers mark, an interesting debate has ensued as to the maker. The first letter is definitely S, the second is unclear, the distinctively shaped shield surrounding the makers mark is clearly visible. We had origi...

Exquisite set of six cast teaspoons, in original box, with Medusa head and snake finial. The detail is excellent, these spoons are extremely high quality. The box has a retailers name - H Greaves, Hew & Corporation St, Birmingham. The hallmarks are clear, 3 spoons are dated 1900, 1 is 1901, 2 are 1902, but they are clearly a set. The spoons are a very good gauge, and are pleasing to hold. Wakely and Wheeler (James and Frank), which still exists today, has long been a highly regarded firm. It was originally founded by John Lias in 1791.

A magnificent Scottish kilt sash brooch, used to hold the shoulder plaid in place. The brooch has cast thistles and celtic "buttons" surrounding a spectacular cairngorm (commonly known as citrine, also called black quartz or smoky quartz). The gemstone is very impressive, amongst the largest we have seen. It has been estimated at over 100 carats, and is a round brilliant cut. The hallmarks are clear, with retailers mark J.S.McL (McLeod we assume) overstriking the makers mark. Scottish citrine is called cairngorm after its place of origin in the Scottish Highlands, and is the November birthstone, also the symbol of brightness, life and hope.

9 carat gold, beautifully cast and chased in the form of a clam shell. Beautiful hinge.

Delightful heart shaped vesta case in excellent condition, with engraved initials FVB. The hallmarks are very clear, the lid is also hallmarked. This case has a nice feel in the hand. Vesta cases (called matchsafes in USA) were used to carry wax vesta matches (predate safety matches), they were struck on the serrated edge of the case.

A typical Cape silver konfyt (preserve) fork with 3 tines, in the Old English pattern, with traditional Cape engraved decoration, consisting of crude stars and a zig-zag pattern which extends all the way to the tines. The makers mark IL is very clear. Jan Lotter, who was regarded by Heller as "a highly skilled craftsman", only worked for 4 years between 1813 and 1817, so he probably died young. He made most of the prized Cape silver "lemoenlepels" (orange spoons) known to exist today.

An Arts and Crafts silvergilt medallion, mounted on ivory, by Omar Ramsden, who is regarded as the leading English Arts and Crafts silversmith. The medallion is in classic Arts and Crafts style, and depicts a printing press surrounded by "LMPA", and surrounding scroll with "The London Master Printers Association". The medallion still has its original blue ribbon, with clasp in full working order, in its original fitted Garrard case.The box reads " By Appointment to HM the Queen, Goldsmiths and Crown Jewellers, Garrard & Co Ltd, 112 Regent Street, W1". The hallmarks are very clear, including OR makers mark, and the back is engraved "Omar Ramsden Me Fecit", translated Omar Ramsden made me, as is usual for his work.

An Arts and Crafts napkin ring set with 4 silver coins, by Charles Robert Ashbee, who was a major force behind the British Arts and Crafts movement. The napkin ring is hand beaten, and the rim has an attractive punched dot pattern. The 4 coins include: 1. Roman Denarius, 46BC, produced by the military mint travelling with Caesar in North Africa. Venus head on obverse, CAESAR, reverse has Aeneas holding his father Anchises on his shoulder, holding palladium in other hand. 2. Danish Krone (Christian IV), dated 1643 3. Danish Krone (Frederik III, brother of Christian IV), dated 1667 4. English shilling (George III), issued in 1787, with kings head in roman attire on obverse, 4 angular shields surrounding garter star, with crowns in angles of shields The hallmarks are very clear, including makers mark CRA in shaped shield. The napkin ring is in excellent condition, thanks to it being preserved in its original box (box is intact but in poor condition). We can only guess as to the origin of the napkin ring, p...

A replica Slip Top spoon, made to commemorate the silver jubilee (25 years on the throne) of King George V and Queen Mary. The spoon is in traditional slip-top form, with hexagonal stem, slip-top end and pear shaped bowl. Original Slip Top spoons date from the early 17th century, and were described by Eric Delieb (Investing in Silver) as "possibly the most graceful of spoons". The hallmarks are exceptional, showing very good detail, including the Jubilee mark which shows the sovereign's heads in profile. This mark was only used in 1934 and 1935 on a voluntary basis.

A pair of Russian silver and enamel teaspoons, with twisted stems and decorated enamel bowls and stems. These spoons are 88 grade silver as opposed to the commoner 84 grade, and were made in Moskow, as indicated by the delta (triangle) next to the Kokoshnik. The makers mark we believe to be that of Ivan Khlebnikov, an important maker who received the Imperial Warrant, and who specialised in enamel. The hallmarks are small but discernable. (Note: - as we are not experts in Russian silver, we cannot vouch for our identification).

Engine turned vinaigrette with beautiful grille. The cartouche is initialled with initial T, the base has bright cut wrigglework with flowerhead. The interior is gilt. Joseph Willmore is described by Eric Delieb (Silver Boxes) as "a superlative silversmith, who worked in the trade for almost half a century".

Plain but pleasing Nathaniel Mills snuffbox, with gilt interior and an attractive crest. The crest, which is slightly worn, has a scalloped cartouche containing a griffin, encased by scrolling palms.

Spot hammered 3 piece travelling shaving brush, the brush screws into the holder when in use. All 3 pieces are individually hallmarked.

Basting spoon in early Old English Pattern, with an elegant narrow handle. In later Old English Pattern the handles flatten out. Basting spoons, sometimes called Turkey spoons, are ideal for use as large serving spoons. The hallmarks are clear, although the makers mark is partially worn, only the GS is visible.

A silver bowl bearing the crest of The Kings Royal Rifle Corps, complete with motto "Celer et Audax" (Swift and Bold). The bowl (or possibly ashtray, although we cannot imagine putting ash into such a lovely bowl) is well made, in Arts and Crafts style with hand hammered marks giving lovely texture. The crest is detailed, and has the initials EMV of the silversmith. The date 1914 is significant, being the start of the "Great War", now known as World War I, so was probably made to commemorate the departure of the Corps to the Western Front. The Corps, known today as the "Green Jackets", was expanded to 22 battalions during the war. As riflemen, they were in the thick of trench warfare, and earned 8 Victoria Crosses, but paid the price with the loss of 12824 men.

A typically Victorian silver Christening set, consisting of a dessert sized spoon, knife and fork, with a very ornate pattern. The pattern consists of a standing "putti" with arm raised, supporting a blank shield (meant for the recipients initials). The shield is surmounted with a crown, and as can be seen other decoration includes flowers, leaves and scrolling foliage. The pattern is repeated on both sides, on the front the putti is a boy, and the rear of the fork and spoon the putti is a girl with long hair. The set is very good quality, and is still in it's original leather and brass bound box, with blue velvet and silk lining. The hallmarks on all 3 pieces are clear, both the knife blade and hilt are hallmarked - indicating the blade is also sterling silver. The Martin Hall & Co (Richard Martin and Ebernezer Hall) first entered their mark in 1863, so this would have been one of the earliest items they produced. They used this mark until 1878, and remained in business until 1911. They worked from Shrewsbur...

A Tiffany sterling silver Olympian pattern sugar tongs, of very good quality, and with no monograms. Olympian pattern depicts various different scenes from Greek mythology, and has been described as the most elaborate and complex of all Tiffany flatware patterns. This scene shows Pan with 4 nymphs or satyrs, with horns and goat leg hindquarters, one nymph with erect phallus (which must be pretty unique on a flatware pattern!), demonstrating Pan's status as fertility God. Ther tongs are hallmarked "M Tiffany & Co Sterling PAT 1878". The M indicates a date between 1875 and 1891.

An exceptionally large Danish serving spoon, the largest we have ever seen. The spoon is Fiddle and Thread pattern, and has an hourglass shape. An attractive stylised design is engraved on the back of the handle. The hallmarks are clear, being the Danish Copenhagen towers with 89 underneath (indicating 1889), the makers mark ROST and the assaymasters mark (SG entwined) for S. Groth, who was in office from 1863-1904. This is a good solid spoon, ideal for regular use, especially if you are feeding an army!

A silver thimble, size 11, with an unusual and attractive "pierced skirt" or "garland of flowers", the garlands decorated with tiny flowers, with leaves suspended between the garlands. The hallmarks are clear, but have some wear. The makers mark CH is very clear. The hallmarks are accompanied by size mark "11". Charles Horner invented the "Dorcas" thimble in the 1880's, the business became famous for thimbles, hatpins and enamels. It was located in Halifax, Yorkshire, as a consequence most Horner silver is hallmarked in Chester. We have been informed that this border is called Vandyke.

A Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) silver pendant by the famed Murrle Bennett & Co. The pendant is hammered silver, set with a turquoise cabochon, flanked by eight studs and four cut out scrolls. The pendant has the MB&Co makers mark, and 950 standard mark (incuse). Murrle Bennett was founded by Ernst Murrle and JB Bennett, they specialised in high quality but reasonably priced jewellery in the Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) style. They were London based, but production took place in Pforzheim, Germany. They had their own catalog and shop, but also sold through Liberty & Co.

A Cheshire Regiment 9 ct gold sweetheart brooch, with "Cheshire Regt" in blue enamel under the regimental oak leaves. The pin is stamped "9ct gold", no other hallmarks are present. The pin is still in its original box, marked "Dimmer & Son, 20 Eastgate Row, Chester". The regiment was raised in 1689, and won the distinction of wearing the oak leaves at Dettingen, for protecting the king during the battle. The regimental motto is "Ever Glorious". They fought numerous engagements in the Anglo Boer War, including the capture of Johannesburg, and also raised 38 battalions during the Great war. In 2007 the regiment was merged into the Mercian regiment.

A Georgian silver sifter spoon in the Old English Bright-Cut Edge pattern, with bottom marked hallmarks indicating a date pre 1777. The bowl has a lovely ornate floral piercing, and a flat base (as expected from original sifters). The Bright-Cut Edge pattern was popular between 1790 and 1800 (Pickford, Silver Flatware, pg 102), so we assume the sifter was updated in style then. John Lambe was a specialist spoonmaker, he worked between 1762 and 1796. His makers mark I*L in oval punch is clear, the lion passant and crowned leopards head are worn but visible, the date letter is very worn but could possibly be the "a" of 1776.

A Chinese Export (or China Trade silver) tablefork, in the Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern, with scarce Union shell (Pickford, Silver Flatware, pg 118). This is a large and hefty fork of good gauge and quality. The hallmarks are extremely clear, being pseudo - English hallmarks lion passant, dutymark, crowned leopards head, date letter k and makers mark CU for Cutshing of Old China Street, Canton. Cutshing was quite prolific, he used a number of makers marks, including CUT, and worked between 1825 and 1875. CU was used during his earlier period (www.chineseexportsilver.com). Chinese export silver, which is stylistically Anglo-American of the late Georgian period, is "known for its fine workmanship and exceptionally heavy weight (Kernan, China Trade Silver, Checklists for Collectors, November 1965).

A near pair of silver golf trophies from the Manchester Old Golf Club, both won by the same person. The first was made in Sheffield in 1900 by Fenton Brothers, the second in London in 1901 by Harris & Sons. The trophies are bowls, similar in shape to rosebowls, but smaller. They both have a half fluted design. Both are engraved, the first reads "Manchester Old Golf Club, Atherton Silver Medal, 1900, Edwin Oliver, 98-15-83", the second "Old Manchester Golf Club, Silver Challenge Bowl, 1903, E. Oliver". The hallmarks on both are clear, one makers mark is rubbed but still visible.

A rare set of 3 Scottish provincial toddy ladles (Fiddle pattern) made by James Pirie of Aberdeen. All 3 ladles have an interesting crest, a dexter hand holding a kings crown, which is well engraved. This is the crest of the Cheeseman family, it is also used by the Robertson family. The hallmarks JP, ABD, JP are very clear on all 3 ladles. The makers mark JP is quite rare, in fact it is not depicted in Jackson's, although it is recorded in Turner's Scottish provincial silversmiths.

A Scottish Provincial dessert spoon in the Fiddle pattern, made in Arbroath. The spoon is initialled with the letter C. The hallmarks include makers mark AD, crowned head * 2, portcullis. The makers mark AD is very clear, the portcullis is clear, the crowned heads are visible but have some wear, perhaps the punches were worn. Overall hallmarks are very good.

A Fiddle pattern Scottish silver toddy ladle, with a magnificent crest - a unicorn's head erased above a crown, with the motto "Virtute Acquiritur Honos", translated "Honour is acquired by Virtue". This is the motto of the Richardson family. The crown probably indicates the families membership of the peerage. The hallmarks are very clear, including makers mark AW in strangely indented punch. AW has been attributed to Alexander Wotherspoon (British silver makers marks website) but given the similarity of the punch to JW (John Williamson) there is a high probibility of a family relationship (father and son?), so the maker could be A Williamson.

Two Cape silver tablespoons in the Fiddle pattern, with engraved initials HV, attractively engraved by hand in Colonial style. The hallmarks are excellent, makers mark DB struck twice between 3 stars (Welz mark 15). Although from the initials we can see they are a pair, they are slightly different in quality, weight and condition. 1 spoon is beautiful, good quality, weight and condition, the other less so, it is lighter and has had a rougher life.

A Tiffany silver bleeding bowl, with flat pierced handle, in the traditional style. This bowl is very good quality, as you would expect from Tiffany. Bleeding bowls (known as porringers in the USA) were used extensively in the 17th century, different themes abound as to their use. Today they are often used as wine tasters, which is probably what this bowl was intended for. The base is stamped "Tiffany & Co, Sterling, 383". They are also popular as Christening gifts.

A pair of Scottish Provincial silver toddy ladles, made by James Douglas in Dundee. The ladles are Fiddle pattern, and have a well engraved and attractive crest of a raised fist holding a bundle of arrows. The hallmarks include makers mark JD, and pot of lilies struck 4 times. The 4th pot of lily is at right angles to the other 3. Both ladles have good hallmarks.

A rare and attractive Cape silver fish slice with an engraved fish on the blade between a row of leaves. The blade is pierced by hand and the engraving is typically Cape including the straight and wavy dotted decoration around the edge. The blade is quite large and oval in shape, and the Fiddle pattern handle is quite short. The join between handle and blade is visible, but is clearly original as the decoration over-rides the join. The hallmarks are very clear, makers mark IC between 2 shell devices (Welz mark 26), all well struck. Cape silver fish slices are quite rare, and ones with an engraved fish even rarer. Welz (Cape Silver) mentions that Twentyman was the only Cape silversmith who added the engraved fish (now clearly incorrect), one by Twentyman is pictured in Heller (A History of Cape Silver, pg 168, plate 74). The engraved fish on the Twentyman slice is very similar in style and design to this one, we hypothesize it was engraved by the same engraver.

Teapot, sugarbowl, creamer and tray. Teaservice oblong shaped, half fluted. Tray oval with two handles, ball feet and lattice design over wooden base. Gilt interiors. All items Birmingham except sugarbowl which has a Chester hallmark. All items fully hallmarked with clear hallmarks, even the teapot lid!

An interesting antique silver milk (or cream) jug, hallmarked in Exeter but possibly made in Devon. It is oblong in shape, with an unusual cast rim with different types of flowers and thistles, and a very fine engraved band of scrolling foliage around the body. The jug has an ornate leaf and rose capped scroll handle, and 4 bun feet. The jug, casting and engraving is very fine quality, the work of a master craftsman. The 5 hallmarks are all clear, including makers mark SL. The base has an engraved number "10", possibly an inventory number. The oblong shape was popular for tea services between 1805 and 1815 in London, we often see a style lag in provincial centres. Simon Levy produced Exeter hallmarked silver between 1818 and 1832. Of Jewish origin, he was buried in the Jewish burial ground in Exeter, just outside the Roman wall. He was the son of Emanuel Levy, also a silversmith. They resided in the parish of St Thomas, Devon.

A beautiful set of Queens pattern tableforks, extremely heavy (over 100 grams each!), they are wonderful to hold! Interesting crest of a curved topped escutcheon containing a wagon wheel, topped with a helmet and a heron. Hallmarks very clear.

A magnificent and rare early Brittania standard silver coffee pot of very good quality, with handle at right angles to the spout, in the Queen Anne style. The pot has a high domed lid with baluster finial, a stand-away hinge, and an octagonal swan neck spout with "Ducks Head" terminal.The pot itself is the tapering plain cylindrical shape with spreading foot, and the handle is turned fruitwood. The coffee pot is plain except for a lovely contemporary armorial, a diamond shaped logenze surrounded by plumes, with the arms of Newdigate (gules three lion's gambs erased argent) impaling a lion rampant reguardant gules. The logenze indicates ownership by a widow of the Newdigate family, as the lozenge is the only vehicle for a widow to display her arms. This plain style is usually called Queen Anne, the shape of coffee pots changed circa 1723, when the lid became flattened and the spout moved opposite the handle (Judith Banister, 3 Centuries of Silver Coffee Pots). As is usual for coffee pots of this era, it is qu...

An extremely rare miniature silver coffee pot by the Huguenot John Hugh Le Sage, subordinate goldsmith to the King. The coffee pot is early Rococo style, with relief chasing of flowers and scrolls around the base and border below the cover. As is expected with early Rococo (1740 - 1750), large areas are left blank, only after 1750 did full Rococo develop which filled in the blanks. The swan neck spout is leaf wrapped, and the wooden handle has a typical double C scroll. The lid, which is richly decorated, has a stepped dome cover and acorn finial. The pot also has a tucked in base and stand-away hinge. The only hallmarks are the makers mark (script JS underneath crown) struck 3 times on the base (Grimwade 1680, Jacksons pg 192). As per the plate act of 1739, silver toys were exempted from assay, and only required the makers mark. A number of silver toys have been attributed to John Hugh Le Sage, many of which today reside in museums, including the Henry Ford Museum (USA) and the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&...

A rare pair of Cape Silver sugartongs, in the Kings pattern with diamond heel. They are very good gauge, solid and well made with a strong bow, suitable for use. Whilst Cape sugartongs are known, most are plain (Welz, Cape Silver), this is the only example of Cape sugartongs in the Kings pattern we have ever encountered. The hallmarks are very clear, makers mark FW and the "Cape Stub", 4 pseudo - English hallmarks (lion passant, date letter, duty mark and leopard's head) struck mechanically in a fly press (see article on Cape Stub in "The Finial, 2007, and in the articles tab above). Fredik Waldek was also a chronometer, clock maker and jeweller. Heller (History of Cape Silver) commended Waldek for "excellent workmanship", these tongs are no exception. Only Waldek and Twentyman produced Kings pattern in the Cape.

Dainty set of Old English pattern silver teaspoons, 4 spoons by Ely & Fearn and 2 by the Batemans, but all with a matching crest (crest is contempory, indicating this set was put together soon after manufacture). The crest is very fetching, with a lion rampant holding a scallop between its fore-paws. Clear hallmarks.

Pair of bright cut Hester Bateman sugar tongs with very clear hallmarks. Decoration swag and wrigglework with initials JR on bow.

A lovely Russian silver sardine fork in traditional style, the handle a well modelled fish, connected to the 3 pronged fork with a curved, twisted stem. The 3 prongs are also curved, and have short wide tines with flattened ends, for ease of use. The hallmarks include makers mark CH (or CB?), 84 standard mark and town mark, which is a little worn. Our best estimate is Novgorod or Orel (Watts, Russian Silver Hallmarks, pg 42-45), we are open to correction here.

A fob medallion depicting a golfer in full swing. The central cartouche is gilded, the detail of the golfer and surrounds is very good. The hallmarks are clear. Thomas Skelton worked from Vyse Street, Birmingham between 1909 and 1961. Sporting fobs were often used as sporting trophies in the early 20th century. Suitable as pendant.

Lovely boxed set of 8 deco coffee spoons, all with clear hallmarks. In original box from a South African retailer in Pietermaritzburg, the box reads " Farrants Ltd, Goldsmiths and Diamond merchants, 213 Church St, next to Standard Bank, Maritzburg".

A magnificent set of early Victorian Elkington silver plate wine coasters, with an attractive cast grape vine design with lovely detail. The coasters have turned wooden bases, with a vacant central silverplate boss. The wooden bases are covered in green felt. Both coasters carry a full set of marks, including makers mark "EP&Co in shield under crown", "E", "M", "&Co", being the makers mark used by Elkington, Mason & Co between 1842 and 1864. Josiah Mason invested in the Elkington firm in 1842, hence the addition of his name to the company name. The makers mark is followed by the date letter "T in lozenge" for 1858. The coasters are also stamped "Elkington & Co" and "R1126", a pattern registration number. Elkington & Co are one of the most important names in English silver. The firm was founded in 1836, in 1838 they patented a new way to electroplate, and in 1851 they exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 (Crystal Palace in Hyde Park) with great success (www.ascasonline.org). The company held Royal warra...

A lovely antique Irish silver brooch in the form of the Irish harp. The harp is decorated with traditional Celtic motifs, in the traditional manner. The hallmarks are clear, except Hibernia who is only partially visible.

Inkstand of superb quality, by reknowned maker George Fox. Both the inkwells and borders are pierced with an attractive design, and are adorned with 8 classical lion faces, 4 on each corner and 4 (with rings in mouth) around the inkwells. The stand also has a beaded border and bun feet. The lids, which are both individually hallmarked, have rose finials. The glass inkwells fit snugly into their holders.

An interesting Art Deco cigarette case by Louis Kuppenheim of Pforzheim, Germany, regarded as one of Germany's leading Art Deco silversmiths. The case has a lovely ribbed design, and the clasp is set with an attractive dark blue sapphire cabochon. The interior is gilt. The case is extremely good quality, and has a pleasing weight, and is in the higher grade 900 silver. The case is engraved with a fascinating World War 1 inscription "Major J.D.S. Lloyd, OBE, MC, etc. A reminder of pleasant and unpleasant days spent together and appreciation of many little acts of kindness and help during the advance from Ypres - Waterloo 1918, J.C.W." The hallmarks include makers mark LK (in fancy script), the crown and moon of Germany, and 900 fineness mark.

A Chinese export silver dessert spoon in the Fiddle pattern. The pseudo-English hallmarks are in excellent condition, well struck and very clear. They include lion passant with triangular indent to punch, crowned leopards head, duty mark and makers mark L. Linchong was an early maker of Chinese export silver, his silver is usually in the English Georgian style. He worked from New China Street, Canton.

Plain Cape Fiddle pattern Tablespoon, with very clear English Pseudo hallmarks. No makers mark is present, but the letter M is impressed twice, this has only been recorded on silver by Beck. Beck worked from Shortmarket Street and Greenmarket Square.

A set of Indian Colonial silver Dessert spoons in the Fiddle pattern, with rare hallmarks from little known Calcutta goldsmiths. 3 spoons are by RS and 3 are by BG (both makers are listed but unidentified by Wilkinson in his book "Indian Colonial Silver"). The hallmarks are clear but a little worn, BG with tally mark 14 (Wilkinson, pg 27) and RS with the Fish tally mark (Wilkinson, pg 116). Tally marks are thought to be the mark of the indigenous workman who finished the piece. The tally mark 14 also appears on silver from Twentyman & Co. This set was probably put together when new in Calcutta circa 1830, as they all have the same initials DI, exhibiting some wear. Given the differential wear to the bowl tips, we can only assume that the 3 by BG are softer, higher grade silver than the 3 by RS.

Beautiful pair of Fiddle pattern Cape salt spoons. Vos died age 27 in 1862, having been a silversmith for 8 years at 127 Long street in Cape Town. Very clear hallmarks showing makers initials, in hexagonal outline, and pseudo English sterling and duty mark.

Beautiful set of heavy, elegant grapefruit spoons with classic art deco design. Cased in original box marked "By appointment, Mappin and Webb Ltd, Oxford Street, London". The hallmarks are very clear.

A set of 6 silver and enamel teaspoons, with the badge of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment. The badge has a Scottish thistle surrounded by heraldic strap and buckle, over the "Star of the Order of the Thistle". The motto "Alba nam Buadh" (Well done, Scotland or Scotland, Home of the Virtues) is underneath the thistle. All 6 teaspoons are fully hallmarked. James Fenton worked from Great Hampton St, Birmingham between 1905 and 1954.

A magnificent silver beaker, decorated with 10 silver staves, which in addition to being decorative greatly improve the grip. It is extremely good quality and weight, and a pleasure to hold. The base is engraved "Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co, Regent St, W", and the hallmarks are clear. The Goldsmiths and Silversmiths company existed from 1880 to 1952, when it was absorbed into Garrards, the Crown Jewellers. Given it's date of 1916, we imagine it was used for water or whisky by an officer in the Great War. This beaker is a replica of a medieval beaker dated 1496 (Henry VII), that used to belong to Cardinal Wolsey. It is featured in an advertisement for Alexander Clark Co Ltd of Oxford Street, London, priced at 3 pounds 10 shillings, that appeared in The Connoisseur magazine of July 1912, which advertised reproductions of historical and classic cups, including the tudor bowl and cup, and Pompeii jug. High quality reproductions of famous silver items were popular in the early years of the 20th century, they ar...

A lovely pair of Victorian silver fish servers, beautifully decorated with an unusual sea horse design (actual horses with mermaid tails). The decoration is pierced and very finely engraved. The servers consist of a fish slice and serving fork in the Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern. The set is good quality, and has a substantial feel when used. They have been beautifully preserved in their original felt and silk lined box, we get the impression they have never been used. The box itself is intact, with hinge and clasp in full working order, but the box is a little battered and worn, with remnants of an old label on the lid - acceptable given its 160 year age. The hallmarks are well struck and very clear on both items. John Stone was a well regarded Exeter silversmith who worked between 1825 and 1867, from 30 Bridge Street, Exeter, he produced many items of flatware. He registered his mark in London in 1844 (Culme, Directory of Gold and Silversmiths, pg 436), perhaps he wanted his finer items to have London ra...

A Cape silver dessert fork, in the Fiddle pattern, with 4 prongs, which are quite long. The hallmarks are clear but slightly worn, they include pseudo English duty mark, castle, date letter C and makers mark LT. This is mark 139 in Cape Silver by Welz, the C has a small gap.

A Cape silver dessert spoon in the Fiddle pattern. The spoon has pseudo English hallmarks, all individually struck, all the hallmarks are very clear. They include duty mark, bird, castle and date letter e, with makers mark LT. This is makers mark 131 (Cape Silver by Welz), although they are struck in a different order, which is quite common. It appears the Cape silversmiths were not too scrupulous about how hallmarks were struck.

A Cape silver tablespoon in the Fiddle pattern, with engraved owners initials "de C", so probably a Huguenot. The spoon bowl is quite wide and the top of the handle has a very provincial rib and turn. The hallmarks are very clear, and include makers mark LT, and pseudo-English hallmarks (leopards head, date letter a, duty mark and lion passant). This is mark 135 in "Cape Silver" by Welz.

An antique silver cream or milk jug by perhaps the most famous of English goldsmiths, Paul Storr. The jug is Neo Classical (Adam) style, as is usual for much of Storr's early work, and is extremely good quality. The jug has a pyriform body, with a border of gadrooning dividing the lower and upper part. The spout is broad, and the handle has a scroll on the base. The interior is gilded, and the base is raised, which has protected the hallmarks. Penzer, in his book "Paul Storr", described Storr as "the last of the great goldsmiths". The hallmarks are excellent, the makers mark P.S is perfect in every way. It is Storr's 4th mark, P.S with pellat in centre, in twin circles in contact, with indent at base producing a point. The base also has the original scratch marks "5 14=171e", "2u320" and "-/XE", we assume weight, style and inventory marks. Storr worked between 1793 and 1838, he died in 1844. He served his apprenticeship with Andrew Fogelberg.

A rare Iona silver scarf ring, in the Celtic Arts and Crafts style. The ring is very good quality, and has a classic Ritchie Viking longship motif, with celtic knotwork side panels, and terminals of wolf like celtic beasts. The ship is copied off an 11th century stone carving in Iona's Abbey museum, and the beasts are similar to those found in the Book of Kells. The hallmarks are very clear, "AR IONA" incuse, along with makers mark ICA (Iona Celtic Arts) and Birmingham hallmarks for 1934. Ritchie registered the ICA makers mark in 1931 in Birmingham. Alex Ritchie's work was inspired by the ancient Celtic and Viking carvings on Iona. He is regarded as one of the most respected and sought after Scottish silver jewellers of the 20th century. (All information courtesy of Alexander Ritchie website, see link on our links page. A similar scarf ring is shown on the website.)

A very good quality silver sauceboat or gravyboat with shaped rim and leaf capped flying scroll handle, 3 cast hoof feet and a nice crest, a greyhound holding an arrow. The hallmarks are very clear, even the leopards' whiskers are visible! Smith and Sharp were important makers, who made some of the finest silver of the period (Pickford, Jackson's hallmarks). They supplied Parker & Wakelin, the Royal Goldsmiths who supplied the Prince of Wales and "half the nobility of England" (Grimwade, London Goldsmiths). The crest has been identified as belonging to the Watts family, and is described as "A greyhound sejant argent supporting with its dexter foot an arrow or headed and barbed of the first". The heraldic research report is available in our articles section.

Magnificent shooting trophy, with chased design of soldiers in uniform shooting across a field at a target, with trees in the background. The trophy is engraved "1866, Won by No 1 Company, John Rothwell Captain Commanding". The interior is gilt.

A boxed set of 6 silver enamel commemorative teaspoons, with enamel "Southern Rhodesia" with coat of arms, and cast bowls featuring "Rhodes Statue, Bulawayo". Cecil John Rhodes was a British empire builder, who obtained mineral rights in the territory later to bear his name in 1888. Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) was the name used for the British colony between 1901 and 1964. The spoons are in their original box, and were retailed by Birch & Gaydon, "Watchmakers to the Admiralty", of Fenchurch street, London. The hallmarks are clear on all spoons, although the makers mark (present but unidentified) is poorly struck and only partially visible.

A silver beaker of extremely high quality, with lobed and reeded body on gadrooned foot, and gilded interior. The beaker is of good weight and has a lovely feel. The beaker has a lovely crest, with the motto "Manners Makyth Man", and a French motto "Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense" (shame upon him who thinks evil of it). The crest, which is well engraved, is that of the Bishop of Winchester, William of Wykeham (Winchester impaling Wykeham). The arms are surrounded by the motto of the Order of the Garter (as the Bishop of Winchester is ex officio Prelate of the Order), his personal motto is beneath the arms. Wykeham founded New College, Oxford and Winchester College, Winchester in 1382, both of which use his personal arms and motto, not those impaled with his bishopric. The French motto is the motto of the "Order of the Knights of the Garter", which was formed in 1348 by King Edward III. Edward Ker Reid, who traded from Fleet Street in London, was the Grandson of Christian Ker Reid of Newcastle, who established Reid...

Pair of Cape Fiddle pattern Tableforks, by the highly regarded silversmith John Townsend. The length of the tines is good, and the forks have very clear Pseudo English hallmarks and makers mark. The initials CJH are engraved on the back of the forks. Heller described Townsend as the most versatile of all the English silversmiths at the Cape, capable of excellent craftmanship.

Plain Cape silver tablefork in the Old English pattern, with original owners initials lightly scratched on back (MF). Hallmark very clear, makers mark struck twice, either side of a flower (or bunch of grapes). Jan Lotter was an excellent silversmith who made most of the cape orangespoons (lemoenlepels) found today. He traded from Keerom St.

A very fine Cape tablespoon by a maker who has a reputation of excellent quality, clearly evident in this spoon. Whilst this spoon was made c1850, it is a copy of an earlier 18th century style (Hanoverian with turn up, and the crest on the back of the spoon). The crest is beautiful, a hand holding an elaborate cross and the motto "TORTIS IN ARDUIS", ("twisted and difficult"?). The hallmarks are very clear, showing makers initials and pseudo English hallmarks. Waldek took over the business of Lawrence Twentyman when he moved to India.

Rare set of 6 Cape fiddle pattern dessert forks, with very clear English pseudo hallmarks and makers mark on all 6 forks. They have an interesting crest, a roaring half rampant lion with his front paws on a strange shaped object (we guess a church with a spire?).

A magnificent Bacchanalian pattern silevr dessert spoon, with fluted bowl. This is one of the rarest English silver flatware patterns, it was originally produced by Paul Storr. The spoon shows Bacchus, the Roman God of wine, riding a lion, whilst a topless Diana looks on, with another figure asleep at her feet. The back of the spoon is also beautifully decorated, with a masque over a theatre curtain, and tilted amphora of wine. Bunches of grapes and vine leaves complete the decoration. The spoon is extremely good quality, quite heavy to hold, sturdy enough to use as a serving spoon, and the hallmarks are clear. Bacchanalian pattern is shown in "Silver Flatware" by Pickford (pg. 127), where an identical dessert service made by Wakely and Wheeler is depicted. The pattern was originally designed by Thomas Stothard, the famous painter and designer, for Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, the Royal silversmiths, in 1812, the first service was used by King George III. The other rare patterns in the same series include Boar...

Rare Russian tablespoon by Kordes, one of the very few silversmith's who were commissioned to work for the Imperial Family. The Assay Master is A. Mitin, who worked from 1842 - 1877. The town mark for St. Petersburg is the crossed anchors and scepter, and is in a square shield with corners, indicating the date of 1873. The 84 standard mark and makers mark are also clear. The assay master mark is clear, but the date letter is worn.

Attractive set of antique Tiffany sterling flatware in the rare Tiffany pattern, comprising matching set of Tablespoons, Tableforks, Dessertspoons and Dessertforks (6 of each). The Tiffany pattern (pattern No 1 in the book "Tiffany Silver Flatware, 1845-1905) was designed by Edward C Moore, and was the first pattern he designed. The pattern is lovely, described as "Renaissance Revival, with modified Greek double scroll with shell like antefix and honeysuckle blossom" in the Tiffany Flatware book. It was produced between 1869 and 1917. In 1956 this pattern was re-introduced as the Beekman pattern, which does not have the intriguing scrolls that protrude halfway up the stems. Each piece has a monogram JHC, and each is clearly hallmarked "C Tiffany & Co, Sterling, PAT 1889". They are of exceptional quality, as you would expect from Tiffany, and are all a good weight. The Tiffany Silver Flatware book describes this pattern as "rare, seldom seen" (page 171). This pattern was the first flatware pattern that Tiffan