A German silver cigarette case, with an engraved horseshoe and riding crop, with a ruby embedded in the horseshoe. The case is 800 grade silver, and has post 1888 German silver hallmarks (moon and crown, followed by 800). The horseshoe signifies good luck, the ruby passion, and the crop is a riding or hunting crop.
An interesting Needham's Patent mechanical silver calling card case, with a ribbed sliding mechanism to push out a calling card. The case is rectangular, with a hinged lid, the sliding mechanism is easy to control with the thumb. Both the case and lid are clearly hallmarked, the lid is also stamped PATENT. These have also been described as vesta cases for long vestas, the slide being the matchstrike, we think this attribution is incorrect. Henry Williamson worked between 1894 and 1914, so a career cut off by the advent of World War I. Note - we have 2 similar examples of this needhams patent card case.
An Arts & Crafts silver caddy spoon, with a round bowl, curved fish tail handle, and planished (hand hammered) finish. A very similar caddy spoon is depicted in the book "The Caddy Spoon in the 20th Century", page 15, illustration d, which was made by George Hart of the Guild of Handicraft in 1977 (our spoon lacks the thread decoration). The spoon is clearly hallmarked for London 1963, with makers mark W.H.W. for William Henry Warmington (Harry). Harry Warmington was "an integral member of the Guild of Handicraft workshop for some 50 years, he was one of the best silversmiths to have worked in Campden, he was also a fine engraver. Despite his abilities, he never applied to become a Freeman of the Goldsmith's Company", quote from the book "The Harts of Chipping Campden, pg 31. Harry was recruited by George Hart in 1912 from the local grammar school, he joined the infantry in 1914 on the outbreak of World War I, then the Royal Flying Corps in 1916, he was based at Farnborough at an aircraft repair depot, he rej...
An interesting pair of cast silver acorn spoons, very good quality, with lovely naturalistic detail. The spoons have cast acorn bowls, the bowls are quite deep, the stems are modelled as a textured branch with nodes of baby acorns, the finial is also an acorn between 2 leaves. With the texture these spoons are pleasing to hold, they could be used for condiments, they could also be used as coffee spoons (although they are quite long). The hallmarks on both spoons are very clear, including makers mark G.W in diamond punch for Graham Watling. Watling began his career as a Royal Marine Commando, then moved to teaching Arts & Crafts, before becoming a silversmith around 1970, based in the National Trust village of Lacock in Wiltshire. He died in 1996, his children have continued the business in Lacock (www.watlings.com). Watling is represented by no less than 8 pieces in the Pearson Collection of post war British silver (www.pearsonsilvercollection.com), a testament of his ability. Watling features in the newly pu...
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 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.
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 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.
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.
An early Irish silver rat-tail Hanoverian tablespoon, made in 1729 by Esther Forbes, the widow of Robert Forbes. The spoon is lovely quality, a pleasing weight, and in remarkably good condition. The spoon has a deep frontal rib running halfway down the handle, with a strong turn-up, and the traditional rat-tail used before 1730. The spoon has original engraved family crest on the back of the spoon (spoons were placed face down at this period), the crest featured a raised arm in armour holding a cross (slight wear to the cross). The 3 hallmarks are clear, makers mark EF in oval punch (slight wear to F, looks more like EE), date letter gothic K for 1729, and crowned harp, with slight wear but clearly discernable. This spoon predates the Irish Hibernia mark which was introduced in 1731. Robert Forbes worked between 1701 and his death in 1718, his widow Esther continued the business until 1729. A number of their spoons have survived. Robert was a Quarter Brother (Collecting Irish Silver by Douglas Bennett, page 1...
A stunning sterling silver nurses belt buckle, complete with original silver clasp and original black petersham belt. The buckle is very interesting, it features a Viking longboat with lion prow, and a serpent sail, beneath 2 maple leaves, above motto "Ratione Dirige Cursom", translated "Pursue Proper Studies", or "Govern your Course by Reason". This is the coat of arms of University College Hospital London, blazoned "an ancient galley, charged with a serpent nowed and in chief two maple leafs slipped", it was granted in 1907. The belt buckle is clearly hallmarked for London 1934, made by Frederick Smythe-Greenwood and Herbert Alwyn Watts, who worked between 1914 and 1934. The clasp is also hallmarked. University College Hospital (UCH), previously called North London Hospital, is a teaching hospital still working today. It was founded in 1834, Agatha Christie was a staff member, and the first amputation under ether was performed here in 1846 by Robert Liston. The Cruciform building was built in 1907, still in...
A rare silver and green enamel annular brooch designed by Alexander Ritchie, the famous Iona silversmith. The brooch has a Gaelic inscription "A h-uile latha sona dhuit", translated "May all your days be happy". These brooches are traditional wedding presents to celebrate a marriage. The Alexander Ritchie website (see our links page) shows 2 similar brooches, one in blue and the other in red enamel, both are described as rare, they do not show a green enamel example. Ritchie began to use the Birmingham assay office in 1931, and he had close links to the Birmingham firm of Darby & Sons, who made items for him. After Ritchie's death in 1941, some of his original moulds were used by Darby until the 1950's, this is one of these (see Ritchie website). The hallmarks are small but visible, the pin is also hallmarked.
A rare Cape silver condiment ladle, the only one we have encountered. The ladle is Fiddle pattern, similar in shape to a salt spoon, but with a long elegant handle, 3 to 4 cm longer than a saltspoon. The hallmarks are clear, the Cape Stub mark with 4 pseudo English marks, and makers mark FW. The stub mark is slightly worn at the bottom, the makers mark is clear. Waldek had a long career in the Cape between 1830 and 1877, he took over Twentyman's shop on the Heerengraght in 1836.
An Art Nouveau antique silver mustard pot, complete with original green glass liner. The pot is oval in shape, and has traditional Art Nouveau stylised flowers on the 4 corners, repeated on the lid thumbpiece. The glass pot sits on a circular support, which is also hallmarked (as is the main body and lid). The hallmarks are clear, and include registration mark RD 436134, meaning Walker and Hall registered this design to prevent copying by competitors.
A set of 3 Danish Sterling silver serving pieces, comprising a spoon, fork and ladle. Each is topped with matching sterling silver Danish Royal crown, which is well modeled. The set comes in its original silk and purple velvet lined box, they do not appear to have been used. The fork is long and elegant with 2 prongs, the spoon bowl is quite wide for serving, and the ladle has a deep bowl. All three are hallmarked clearly with "STERLING DENMARK" and makers mark SDG, with the D and G inside the curves of the S. We believe this indicates they were made post 1977, when the Danish official hallmarks were retired. The crown is a replica of the Danish Royal closed crown of Christian V, so it is also possible these were made to commemorate the coronation of the current Danish Queen Margrethe II in 1972.
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).
A lovely Dutch silver sugar sifter in the Empire style, made by Pieter Kuijlenburg in Schoonhoven in 1830. The sifter ladle has a wide oval curved bowl, quite deep, with a beaded rim, and intricate piercing of the bowl. The centre is an eight pointed star, with 8 radiating arrows interspersed with patterned dots, surrounded by a cross and semi circle pattern. The curved, elegant handle has a pointed terminal, it is beautifully engraved with a bright cut pattern, including stems with leaves and flowers. The Empire style is a Neo-Classical revival style, that became popular in France, Belgium and the Netherlands after the rise of Napoleon. The hallmarks include makers mark PKB under kappie for Pieter Kuijlenburg, Lion passant 2nd standard (833 purity), Minerva head duty mark, and date letter script V for 1830 (the date letter struck inside the bowl). Kuijlenburg worked in Schoonhoven as a silversmith between 1818 and 1831, he was born in 1791 and died in 1868, he had 6 children including Adrianus who was also a...
An antique silver miniature furniture cabinet, in 18th century style, made in Hanau by Simon Rosenau and imported into London by David Bridge in 1892. The cabinet has lovely detail, the hinged doors and 2 drawers are in full working order. The cabinet doors and sides are decorated with farming scenes, a woman collecting water, raking and carrying a tray, and a man with basket full of produce. Scrolls complete the design, the cabinet stands on 4 S shaped feet, the drawers have ring pulls and the door has a handle. The base of the cabinet and base of largest drawer have Hanau hallmarks, a clear SR under crown makers mark, clear 930 standard mark (so slightly purer than sterling 925), less clear German moon and crown mark, and a 4th indistinct mark. The back of the cabinet has very clear London import marks for 1892 and Importers mark DB for David Bridge. Simon Rosenau worked in Bad Kissingen from 1862-1932, he supplied antiques to the Royal Bavarian court. His son took over the business in the 1890's, he was d...
A fabulous modernist sterling silver bracelet, made by celebrated Danish silversmith Knut V. Andersen. The bracelet consists of 13 cast silver diamond shaped links, with a textured bark finish, the detail is lovely, both back and front. It is extremely well made, the quality is excellent, even to the screw fasterner which prevents the clasp from opening.. The hallmarks are clear, and include "Denmark S 925S KvA" for Knut Andersen, who worked in Copenhagen 1975-1989. Earlier in his career he worked for the famous firm of Anton Michelsen, he was the last designer employed by the firm. We love this bracelet.
A lovely set of 12 sterling silver demitasse or coffee spoons, with baluster finial. The spoon size and shape are nicely balanced, we really like these spoons. The hallmarks on all 12 spoons are clear, including makers mark B&S in serrated punch for Brook & Son of Edinburgh. Brook and Son were leading Edinburgh silversmiths and retailers from 1891 to 1939, they succeeded William Marshall & Sons.
