An interesting silver spoon, made by the Leeds College of Art in 1953, to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The spoon is teaspoon size, has a curvilinear handle and is struck with a large coronation mark as key decoration on the front of the spoon, this was an optional hallmark. The spoon is clearly hand made, the bowl and drop a little wonky, so perhaps made by an apprentice. The hallmarks are clear, including makers mark LCA for Leeds College of Art. Leeds College of Art, which still exists today, had a good reputation for silver in the 1950's and early 1960's (Source Designer British Silver, Andrew & Styles, page 372). Silver by Leeds College of Arts is scarce, occasional pieces assayed at Sheffield with the LCA sponsors mark appear on the secondary market (we have seen a few examples on the internet, spoons, beakers and a gravy boat). In addition to being a rare Leeds College of Art piece of silver, the use of the large optional coronation hallmark as decoration is also unusual. Du...
An interesting 17th century style silver notched 2 pronged fork, a replica of the earliest known English table fork. The fork has 3 notches at the top of the stem, a rare feature seen occasionally on puritan spoons. The hallmarks are beautiful, large and well struck, they form part of the decoration. The original, made in 1632, is known as the Manners Fork, and is in the V&A museum in London. The original belonged to the Rutland family of Haddon Hall, and has the crest of John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland. This fork is a good gauge, very pleasing to use, we tested it on cold meats and olives! The hallmarks are excellent, and include makers mark FH for Francis Howard, the firm worked between 1900 and 1986. The fork comes in it's original box, with pickle fork explanatory card, and expalnation of the hallmarks. A real talking point for your dinner table. This fork is identical to S 1568 which we have already sold, and S1808.
A fabulous set of six antique sterling silver goblets, perfectly preserved in their original box. The goblets are very pleasing quality, over 30 grammes each, and are quite small, so we imagine used for sherry or liqueur. The shape is lovely, a traditional goblet shape, with spreading foot and baluster stem. The goblets are perfectly preserved in their original wooden box, with blue velvet and silk interior, also in remarkable condition, with hinges and clasp in full working order. All 6 goblets are clearly hallmarked for Birmingham 1911, and makers mark W&F.R, for Walter Hayes and Frank Rabone, who worked between 1911 and 1916, with the partnership dissolved in 1918, we assume sadly interrupted by World War 1.
An interesting silver medallion, made to commemorate the World Championship Fly Casting event held in 1968 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The medallion reads "1968 LENZERHEIDE CHVR SWITZERLAND SCHAFT WELTMEISTER CHAMPION ATVDMOND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CASTING IXII" in an interesting font, the other side has stylised design with a flower. The medallion is marked 900 (silver grade), maker LM Co., designer Gia Pedretti (Guiliano Pedretti, an artist and sculptor, 1924-2012). The event was held by the ICSF (International Casting Sport Federation) , for the World Championship on Water Fly Casting event
A set of 6 sterling silver grapefruit spoons in the Kings pattern, double struck, in excellent condition, they appear unused. The spoons are very good quality and weight, over 30 grammes each, and the hallmarks are excellent on all 6 spoons. Cooper Brothers was established in 1866, they were successful manufacturers, eventually being sold in 1983. The original box has a label that reads "Bracher & Sydenham, Queen Victoria Street, Reading, est 1790", the firm has a long and illustrious history, and still operates today after being acquired by Goldsmiths chain in 1974. They received a Royal warrant from King Edward VII, who visited the shop personally. Note - 5 spoons are 1966, one is 1965, so made over the date letter change.
A pair of antique silver serving spoons, with beautiful pierced and engraved handles, in pristine condition. The detail of the piercing is excellent, an architectural feature surrounded by foliage. The spoons are a useful size, ideal for serving. The spoons appear to have never been used, such a pity for such beautiful items. The hallmarks on both spoons are clear, and include makers mark for the Sheffield firm of Hawksworth & Eyre, who worked between 1841 and 1932, when they were taken over by Ellis of Barker Brothers. Charles Hawksworth and John Eyre exhibited a wide variety of goods at the Great Exhibition of 1851, they had showrooms in London Fleet Street and Montreal, Canada. (Culme, Directory of Gold & Silversmiths, page 222).
A boxed set of six sterling silver Hanoverian pattern teapoons, with matching sugar tongs. The spoons all have rat tails, and the tongs have the spoon pattern repeated on the arms. The quality is good, as you would expect from Mappin & Webb. The original box reads "Mappin & Webb Ltd, Regent Street, London W", this would have been an expensive item when new. All 7 items have excellent hallmarks, the 6 spoons are 1919, the tongs 1920. Mappin and Webb was founded in 1859, it still exists today and is one of Britain's most prestigious brands. In addition to Royal Warrants, Mappin and Webb are the Crown Jeweller.
A fabulous sterling silver letter opener, with an impressive cast silver Leopard's head, the detail is superb. The letter blade has well struck large hallmarks along the front, these form part of the decoration. The quality is excellent, it has a lovely feel in the hand, and when you leave it on your desk you cannot resist picking it up. The animal may not be a leopard, my wife suggested Jaguar, please see the photograph's.
An interesting Scottish silver baby dish, engraved around the rim with 4 ancient scenes, possibly Mesopotamia, we are not sure of the significance. The dish is extremely good quality, it weighs over 300 grammes, and the engraving is lovely. The 4 panels are interspersed with 2 ladies heads, complete with earings, and 2 cartouches for engraved initials. The engraving contains armed soldiers with swords, shields, spears and bow and arrows, animals (some pulling carts and carriages), palm trees and a winged beast, hence our tentative description as Mesopotamian (all suggestions and assistance most welcome). As the engraving is on what we believe to be a baby dish (solid base, size etc), we believe it to be a Christening present, with the engraving from a fable or historically significant event (similar dishes of the period are engraved with nursery rhymes). The hallmarks are excellent, including Glasgow marks for 1931 and makers mark E&S for Edward and Sons, of Buchanan Street, Glasgow, they also had a London br...
A rare early Kay Bojesen Art Nouveau silver server, he would probably have called it a sandwich server. The server is typically Art Nouveau, very similar in style to early Georg Jensen pieces, with a ball finial crowning another ball, with 8 supporting strands in a vase shape, with 2 S shaped wings on the side. The handle is also vase shaped, with rounded corners, so pleasing to hold. The serving bowl is wedge shaped, flat in front with a small bowl, and 2 supporting raised sides to hold items in place. The connection between handle and bowl has 2 scrolls below a pyramid style step. The server is clearly hand made, you can see variations in how the 8 strands connect. The hallmarks are excellent, makers mark KBS, Kay Bojesen device (oval with picture, ships funnel?), and standard mark 830S for 830 grade silver. Kay Bojesen (1886-1958) trained with Georg Jensen 1907-1910, he opened his own workshop in 1913, at first making similar designs to Jensen (we date this piece to early in his career). In 1951 his "Grand...
Two sterling silver napkin rings, both shooting trophies for the Natal Rifle Association. The first reads "The Emma Thresh Trophy, 1914, 2nd Prize, won by" surrounding the engraved badge of the NRA, reading "Natal Rifle Association, Semper Paratus, 1868", around a mounted rifleman. We assume the award of this trophy was cancelled due the the start of World War I in 1914. The second reads "Murray-Smith Memorial, 1926, 1st Team", alongside an applied cast shield of the Natal Rifle Association, as described above. The hallmarks are clear on both napkin rings, the first has an additional hallmark "6" in a quatrefoil punch, all suggestions welcome as to the meaning of this additional punch. The Emma Thresh Trophy itself belongs to the Natal Carbineers, South Africa's senior regiment. The trophy itself is 16 kilograms of silver, and was donated in 1903 by Emma Thresh, as the shooting trophy for Colonial Forces. Lieutenant-Colonel William Murray-Smith of the Natal Mounted Rifles saw distinguished service in bothe th...
A South African sterling silver military caddy spoon, with an applied badge of the SAPPERS, the South African Engineers Corps. The badge is a flaming grenade (inherited from the British), the button below reads "South Africa Suid Afrika" , so both English and Afrikaans, the bage is a coppery gold colour, we are not sure of it's composition. The caddy spoon has a rounded bowl, with wide flat handle with a series of indents, this pattern (and others with slight variations) was designed by RMP (Royal Mint Pretoria), which became the SAM (South African Mint) in 1941. The spoon is good quality, and has a pleasing weight. Similar designed caddy spoons, by both RMP AND SAM, can be seen elsewhere on Leopard Antiques (S1362, S1652, and S1762). The spoon is hallmarked "STER SIL", clearly struck, no other hallmarks are present. We have tentatively dated this spoon to the World War II period, when the SA Engineers saw distinguished service in Italy, but it could be earlier (1923-1939).
A set of six sterling silver place card holders, all containing a very rare hallmark, the Queen's Award for Export Achievement. The holders are rounded rectangular in shape, with a zig-zag border, with supporting circular foot and holder to hold the place card in place. The front of the holders is blank, designed for personalised engraving, these have never been engraved. All 6 holders have 7 hallmarks, all clearly struck, including marks for London 1990, along with makers mark AN in shield, the sterling silver convention hallmark (scale with 925), additional 925 standard mark, and a rare and unusual 7th hallmark, the Queen's Award for Export Achievement (Royal Crown above cog device, with centre letter E). Ari Norman was the first British silversmith to be granted this award in 1989, he was then allowed to use the hallmark in 1989 and 1990, as per these pieces. The Queen's award was established in 1965, and still operates today. We are not aware of any other silversmith who has won this award, hence the scar...
An interesting set of 6 sterling silver rat tail Hanoverian pattern teaspoons, retailed by Liberty, made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, with hallmarks from 6 different towns - London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Chester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The spoons have engraved owners initials J&J. All 6 spoons also have the optional coronation mark used in 1952 and 1953. All of the hallmarks are well struck and excellent, note the different style makers mark for Roberts & Belk used on the London spoon. The spoons are in original box (note condition and water damage from photos), exterior reads "British Hallmarks", interior reads "Liberty, British Hallmarks, London Leopards Head. Birmingham anchor, Sheffield crown, Chester three sheaves with sword, Glasgow Tree, Edinburgh castle", with pictures of the hallmarks. This set would make an excellent gift to a young collector interested in hallmarks.
An antique silver golfing medallion, featuring a golfer in plus four's, his caddy and a lady observer with walking stick, all in traditional attire. The medallion is quite large and heavy, the quality is excellent. The detail is lovely, and includes a church, house, trees and fence in the background. The reverse has a laurel wreath, and is engraved "P.P.BURG GOLF CLUB 1911, won by J.C. TERBLANCHE". P.P.Burg stands for the town PaulPietersburg in northern Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, which was established in 1888. The front of the medallion has the engraver's initials WJD for William James Dingley, the back is fully hallmarked, but the hallmarks are worn (just discernable, including makers mark WJD.
A set of six sterling silver teaspoons, made in 1952 and carrying the coronation hallmark used to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, The spoons are an unusual pattern, with Fiddle pattern style shoulders, notched finial (2 corners cut away), and 4 engraved bands between notches, overall an attractive pattern. The hallmarks are clear on all 6 spoons.
An interesting solid silver napkin ring, awarded as 2nd prize in the Dewar Shield of 1939 by SANRA (South African National Rifle Association). The ring is rectangular in shape, with but with lobed sides, so a pleasing shape, it is quite heavy at 55 grammes, the quality is excellent. The napkin ring has applied crest of the South African National Rifle Association, a jumping springbok under crossed rifles, above a laurel wreath, with SANRA above and SANS below (Afrikaans equivalent). The ring is engraved "The Dewar Shield, 1939, 2nd Prize". The silver hallmarks are clear, including maker mark for Charles Green & Co, who worked between 1904 and 1986.
An antique silver and enamel vesta case, with the coat of arms of Kirkwall, Orkney Islands. The vesta is rectangular with rounded corners, and has a safety suspension ring. The applied cast coat of arms has red, blue and yellow enamel, and features a three masted sailing ship with sails furled, above KIRKWALL and below motto "Si Deus Nobiscum", translated "If God be for us" from Romans 8:31. The hallmarks are clear, including makers mark R.C. for Robert Chandler, who worked between 1902 and 1924. Kirkwall is the capital of the Scottish Orkney Islands, the original Kirk was the 11th century St Olaf's of Norway. Kirkwall is also the home of Highland Park whisky, so is on my list of places I would like to visit.
A Scottish Provincial silver kilt pin brooch, made by John Fraser of Inverness, but hallmarked in Edinburgh as required by regulations. The kilt pin has a classic celtic design, and is a pleasing quality, and a good size and weight. The pin and clasp are also good quality, and in perfect working order. The hallmarks are clear, including makers mark JF incuse for John Fraser of Silvercraft, Inverness, who worked between 1965 and 1982.
A set of 6 rat tail trefid coffee spoons, reproductions of a 17th century style, but just a few years short of being antique themselves. The spoons are in excellent condition, they do not appear to have been used. The original box reads "Wilson & Gill, The Goldsmiths, 139 Regent Street, London W", under a crown. Wilson and Gill was established in 1892, it still trades today as Hester Clarke (www.hesterclarke.co.uk), run by the 5th generation descendants. The hallmarks are clear on all 6 spoons, including makers mark TB&S for Thomas Bradbury & Sons, a leading Sheffield manufacturer.
