Leopard Antiques Georgian Irish Silver Knife Set (12, 6 Table knives, 6 Dessert Knives) - James Les Bas, West Retailer, Hamilton Family Crest

Georgian Irish Silver Knife Set (12, 6 Table knives, 6 Dessert Knives) - James Les Bas, West Retailer, Hamilton Family Crest	Order Form Request more information

Reference: S11520 Period: George III Year: Circa 1820 Silversmith: James Le Bas, Retailer Jacob West Place: Dublin Price: $ 1 200.00 Dimensions: 25.5 cm and 22.0 cm Condition: Good, but with wear from use. All 12 handles securely fastened, some small dents and scratches from use. A few knife handles have dented ends (where they have been dropped). A few black oxidation marks that will poilish out in time. Description: A rare surviving matched set of 12 Georgian Irish silver knives in the Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern, 6 are table knives and 6 are dessert knives. The knives are in good condition considering their age, and are suitable for use. The steel blades are in good condition, and quite sharp, we believe these are later replacements fitted into the original silver handles, they are not marked at all. The pattern is repeated on both sides, and has shells at the top and bottom, with a scroll in the centre. We have described these as Fiddle, Thread and Shell, but have been unable to confirm this, all assistance welcome, other examples we have seen have no shell at the bottom of the handle, so perhaps this is a different pattern or an Irish variant. Both sets of six are a set, whilst both sets are the same pattern, there are a few differences, hence our description a matched set, the 2 sets of 6 were matched together at some time. The 6 table knives have no engraving, the 6 dessert knives have a beautiful engraved family crest of an oak tree above a Ducal coronet, with a frame saw in between, this is the crest of the Hamilton Family. It can be described as "an oak tree fructed issuing out of a Ducal coronet, the tree penetrated transversely in the stem by a frame saw". The 6 dessert knives have 2 hallmarks each, the Irish crowned harp and Georgian duty mark, no makers marks are present. The 6 table knives all have 4 hallmarks, the Irish crowned harp and Georgian duty marks are clear, in addition they have partially struck makers and retailers marks. By studying all 6 knives we can see the makers mark is I.L.B for James Le Bas, some show the I.L, some show the B, so in total we can confirm the maker. The retailers mark WEST is better, some wear to some of the marks, but enough to confirm West as the retailer. The marks on all 12 knives are struck in exactly the same place on the handles, at the bottom of the handles. James Le Bas was an English silversmith trained by his Father William, he emigrated to Dublin, Ireland around 1800 and set up a silver manufacturing workshop in Strand Street, Dublin. He was freed in 1824, and became Warden 1835-1838, so was a respected silversmith. He died in 1845. Jacob West was a silversmith and retailer, he worked from 1801, his sons joined the business in 1827. He was appointed Alderman in 1821. Note - On careful inspection we realise one of the dessert knives has slight differences, whilst it is the same pattern there are design differences, and the handle is thinner than the other 5. It appears to have more wear than the other 5, the crest is also very worn, and no hallmarks are visible, so we are certain is was made by a different maker at a different time, we think it is older than the other 5. The blade is identical to the other 5, so all replaced together.


enlarge
Georgian Irish Silver Knife Set (12, 6 Table knives, 6 Dessert Knives)


enlarge
Georgian Irish Silver Knifes - Table and Dessert


enlarge
Georgian Irish Silver Table Knifes


enlarge
Fiddle, Thread and Shell pattern Knives


enlarge
Irish Silver Knife Set James Le Bas


enlarge
Irish silver Dessert knives


enlarge
Georgian Irish Silver Knife Set crowned hibernia hallmarks


enlarge
Hamilton Family Crest on Irish silver knives


enlarge
Oak Tree Ducal Coronet - Hamilton Family crest


enlarge
Irish silver knives, slightly thinner/ different one on right


enlarge
Both sides of Irish silver dessert knives


enlarge
James Les Bas silver makers mark, duty mark


enlarge
Crowned Harp Irish silver hallmark


enlarge
Duty mark Irish silver knives


enlarge
Georgian Irish Silver Table Knife

Printer friendly version
Email to a friend

Order Form Request more information

^{Copyright © LeopardAntiques.com 2025}

/body>