A rare Irish provincial sterling silver teaspoon made by Isaac Solomon of Cork, with excellent hallmarks. The teaspoon is Fiddle pattern, the bowl is elongated with a strong tip, more European than English in style. The spoon is engraved with original owners initials II. The hallmarks are excellent, "I.SOLOMON" and "STERLING" in serrated punch, these are well struck, but the sterling punch shows sign of wear. Solomon was born around 1775 and died in 1845, he worked from Patrick's Street, Cork. A number of items with makers mark IS have also been ascribed to Solomon, it is probable that these should be ascribed to John Seymour, and not Solomon. Solomon was a jeweller and silversmith, his working dates beyond 1810 are not known.

A pair of Georgian Scottish silver Celtic Pointed pattern tablespoons, by Alexander Ziegler, who worked in Edinburgh between 1782 and 1802. These are elegant spoons, and although tablespoons are large enough to be used as serving spoons today. Celtic Pointed (or Pointed Old English) is a style used in Scotland and Ireland, not seen in English silver (Pickford, Silver Flatware, pg 96). The spoons have contemporary engraved initials TB in traditional Scottish style. The hallmarks on both spoons are clear.

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.

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 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.

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 wine label, made in London 1819, and engraved for MADEIRA. The label is oval in shape, and has a double reeded border. The label is clearly hallmarked (duty mark, lion passant and date letter d), but missing London town mark. The makers mark GK for George Knight is also clearly struck. George Knight worked between 1818 and 1824, he specialised in small silver, and is known to have made a number of wine labels. Similar wine labels made by Knight can be seen on the Steppes Hill Farm website (a site we strongly recommend).

A rare Scottish provincial teaspoon in the Oar pattern, which is unique to Scotland. The teaspoon was made by Charles Fowler in Elgin, and is clearly hallmarked with makers mark CF, town mark ELn, and pseudo date letter C. The spoon is engraved with original owners initials in script (possibly DI). The makers mark and town mark are very clearly struck, they could not be better, close examination of the C pseudo date letter shows the start of the outline F on the right hand side, so possibly Fowler used his makers mark punch, but struck from the side to only show the C (further research required). Charles Fowler worked from 1809-1824, most of his silver is marked ELn (as opposed to ELGIN in full, which he used occasionally). He used a variety of different punches, including pseudo date letters A, B, C, D, E and F, and occasionally he used punches showing St Giles and the Elgin cathedral wall (see our sold soup ladle S 1300). A good summary of his marks is shown in the book Scottish Provincial Silversmiths by ...

A very interesting Antique silver Slip-Top jam spoon, dating back to the Great War (World War I), which would have been sold exclusively by Harrod's. The spoon is a replica of an early 17th century slip top spoon, complete with a V shaped rat-tail, these spoons are also called "slipped in the stalk' and "slip-end" spoons. The slip top on this spoon almost resembles a screwdriver head, and could be used practically to open tin lids. The spoon bowl is egg shaped, we think it was originally intended for jam. The quality is very pleasing, you cannot resist picking up and using this spoon, we absolutely love it. The hallmarks are clear, and include makers mark RB for Sir Richard Burbridge, 1st Baronet, who was the Managing Director of Harrods at the time. Harrods today still describes itself as "The World's Leading Department Store". The spoon date of 1915 is interesting, probably made just before silver and other valuable resources were directed at the war effort. An identical spoon is photographed in the book "A...

A pair of Indian Colonial salt spoons, made by Hamilton & Co, the "Garrards of India". The spoons are in the Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern with gilded bowls, and are double struck, and are pleasing quality, and in good condition. The hallmarks are clear on both spoons, makers mark H&Co, Elephant, date letter A and tally marks 2 semi circles, these marks were used 1860-1914 (source www.ascasonline.org, History and Marks of Hamilton & Co). Note the unusual & in the makers mark (quite fat), different makers marks were used by Hamilton over the years, this should assist more precise dating, further research is required. Note: We have matching sifter spoon and sauce ladles.

An antique sterling silver napkin ring with an applied cast silver bulldog, very realistically modelled, and engraved "S.A. Bull Dog Club", for South African bulldog club. The napkin ring is circular, and is clearly hallmarked with makers mark M&W for Mappin & Webb, with Sheffield hallmarks for 1909. The South African Bulldog club was formed in May 1908 and still exists today, see their Facebook page. We assume this napkin ring was commissioned by the original members as prizes.

An interesting and well travelled Georgian silver butterknife, with carved mother of pearl (nacre) handle. The butterknife has a scimitar shaped solid silver blade, with irregular wavy top, engraved with reeded bands and fan decoration. The handle has carved beads, bands and a fan like structure, this gives a good grip and pleasant feel in the hand. A silver ferrule covers the join between blade and handle. The knife is clearly hallmarked with 5 Birmingham hallmarks, including makers mark LV&W for Ledsam, Vale and Wheeler, this mark used between 1826 (when Wheeler joined Ledsam & Vale) and 1834. The blade also has 3 additional hallmarks, the first a shaped V, a Dutch duty mark for foreign silver used between 1814 -1831, so the knife entered the Netherlands shortly after it was made. The other 2 hallmarks are French, Minerva facing right (guarantee mark for foreign silver) and the Bigorne (beak-iron) mark with insect, used as a counter mark between 1819 and 1838, all these marks are clear. the book "Pocket ...

A National Rifle Association 1860 Silver trophy medallion, which would have been awarded as a rifle shooting trophy. The obverse has 2 soldiers, the first a British longbow man with dates 1300-1500, the second a rifleman dated 1860, above motto "Sit Perpetuum" - translated "May it last forever". The reverse has a laurel wreath surrounding "The National Rifle Association 1860". The medallion is excellent quality, and in excellent condition, without any engraving, so perhaps it was never presented. The hallmarks are clear, and include makers mark E&Co for Elkington, who are known for their superb quality. The National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom is a registered charity with a Royal Charter, whose charitable objectives are to promote and encourage marksmanship throughout the Queen’s dominions in the interest of defence and the permanence of the volunteer and auxiliary forces, naval, military and air. The formal purposes of the charity are to promote the efficiency of the armed forces of the Crown, ...

A delightful pair of sterling silver rat-tail trefid spoons, coffee spoon size, these spoons were Christmas presents from the Grand Pump Room Hotel in Bath in 1923. The spoons are engraved with the hotel armorial, the stems engraved "Grand Pump Room Hotel, Bath", and the bowls engraved "Xmas 1923". The rat-tails are ribbed, these are perfect replicas of 17th century trefid spoons. The hallmarks are clear on both spoons. "The Grand Pump Room is a historic building in the Abbey Church Yard, Bath, Somerset, England. It is adjacent to the Roman Baths and is named for water that is pumped into the room from the baths' hot springs. Visitors can drink the water or have other refreshments while there. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building since 1950. The building now also houses a restaurant, where afternoon tea can be taken. Music in the restaurant is provided by the Pump Room Trio — the longest established resident ensemble in Europe — or by a pianist. There has been music in the Pump Room since ...

An Edwardian replica of a mote skimmer spoon, made by the leading firm Elkington. The oval spoon bowl has a pierced pattern of foliated scrolls and holes, the rounded handle is attached to the bowl with a rat-tail, the finial is a three sided triangular spearhead, which is very sharp. This spoon is excellent quality, as you would expect from Elkington, it has a lovely feel in the hand. It is teaspoon sized, most mote spoons were longer. Mote spoons originated in the early 18th century, and were used to skim off floating particles of tea leaves and motes (tea dust) from a cup of tea (Newman, Illustrated Dictionary of Silverware, page 217). The long thin handle with sharpened point was used to clear the spout of a teapot (when spouts were still straight) where tea leaves clogged it (remember tea leaves were coarser then than we are used to today). In the Plate Offences Act of 1738 these spoons were called tea strainers, but mote spoon or skimmer is the more popular description. There has been controversy over t...

A set of 6 interesting Dutch silver mocha spoons, these spoons are replicas of medieval daimond point spoons dating between 1350 and 1560. The spoons are 835 grade, and have a pyramid or diamond shaped finial mounted on a pedestal, with a 4 sided tapered stem. The fig shaped bowls have a pronounced drop from the stem, as is usual in diamond point spoons, but the bowls have a more pointed end. All 6 spoons are clearly hallmarked with makers mark B2V* for JM Visser of Bijkamps & Co of Steenwijk, this mark was used between 1946 and 1975 (Netherlands Responsibility Marks since 1797, mark 2790. The spoons also have 835 grade mark. Bijkamp & Co is a respected Steenwijk silversmith, founded in 1835. The Visser family married into the Bijkamp family, Jan Visser whose mark is on these spoons died in 1950. We really like these spoons!

A pair of octagonal engine turned napkin rings, with applied armorial of the city of East London, South Africa. The armorials are lovely, with 4 colours of enamel, and good quality and gilded, we assume a metal, possibly silver, but no hallmarks are visible (possibly hidden on the back which is glued to the napkin rings. The rings are a pleasing shape, with 2 engine turned panels each, both are clearly hallmarked. The armorial depicts the cross of St George, as with the original London, with sheaves of wheat and sheep depicting agriculture, below a rising sun signifying the east. The shield rests on a gold anchor, as per the Cape Colony arms. This armorial was granted in 1892, it was replaced in 1959 by a more heraldically correct version.

A Chinese Export silver dessertspoon in the Fiddle pattern, made by the respected maker Khecheong in Canton. The spoon has no engraving or any signs of removal of engraving. The hallmarks are clear, and include pseudo duty mark, pseudo crowned leopards head town mark, pseudo lion passant and makers mark KHC (slight wear to K). Khecheong was one of the most prolific Chinese Export silversmiths, he worked from Club Street, Honam Island, Canton between 1840 and 1870. He has been described as a "good silversmith" Forbes, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1885, page 255 - a book we highly recommend.

A Cape silver tablespoon in the Old English pattern, with rare Cape hallmarks not shown by Welz in his book "Cape Silver and Silversmiths". The spoon has been well used, and has a small split (see condition description). The spoon has original owners initials CW engraved on it, the C is larger than the W, so probably done by the owner himself (overall quite quaint). The hallmarks consist of makers mark IL co-joined in oval punch, in between 2 "birds foot" devices, these marks are well struck and clear. The IL makers mark is mark 71 Welz, but the birds foot device is not recorded (Lotter also used a floral hallmark which is recorded). However, the birds foot device used by Lotter is recorded by Morrison (Silversmiths and Goldsmiths of the Cape of Good Hope, 1936, page 57, where this makers mark is pictured). A variant of this mark is also recorded by Heller (History of Cape Silver, 1949, page 151, mark MM40, which shows an extra arm to the birds foot). We can only assume this is a rare mark that was not seen b...

A Clan MacGregor (or Gregor) Scottish sterling silver clan badge, with pin to be worn as a brooch or kilt pin. The badge is the traditonal shape, with cast silver crowned lion erased, surrounded by belt with motto "'S RIOCHAIL MO DHREAM", translated "Royal is my Race". The badge is lovely quality and is in excellent condition. The badge is clearly hallmarked for Edinburgh 1950, with makers mark H&I for Hamilton & Inches, the leading Edinburgh silversmith from Princes Street, they worked between 1870 and 1977. The current MacGregor clan chief is Sir Malcolm Macgregor, 7th Baronet of Lanrick and Balquhidder. The clan dates back to the early 800's, they were amongst the first clans to play bagpipes, and their most famous member was the outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor.