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| Georgian Silver Salad Servers - Henry Day, Counterfeiter, Sentenced to Death, Then Transported
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Reference: S11560
Period: George IV
Year: 1821
Silversmith: Henry Day
Place: London
Price: $ 700.00
Weight: 260 grams
Dimensions: 28.5 cm (spoon)
Condition: Excellent.
Description: A pair of Georgian silver salad servers, made by a rarely encountered silversmith Henry Day, who only worked for a few years prior to being sentenced to death for counterfeiting, after which his sentence was reprieved and changed to "transportation for a period of 7 years". The servers are Fiddle pattern, the spoon has a pear shaped bowl, the fork a more rounded bowl with 5 tines cut into the bowl end. Both are engraved with a family crest of a Lion Rampant, this is finely engraved and very clear. Both are clearly hallmarked for London 1821 with makers mark H.D, (Grimwade 981) both also have a Journeyman's mark (one a cross, one 2 dots). On careful examination of the hallmarks we believe these to be genuine. Henry Day was freed in 1817, he first worked for his father, this mark was registered in 1820. An interesting article by Trevor Downes entitled "An example of the Counterfeiters' Art, The work of Henry Day" was published in the Finial (March 2011, page 6), explains that Day's workshop was raided by the Goldsmith's Hall on 26 September 1822, after complaints by customers. He was tried at the Old Bailey in October 1822 by the Commissioner of Stamps, and sentenced to death on 31 October 2022 (swift justice!), then reprieved and his sentence respited to detention at "His Majesty's Pleasure" on 22 November 1822, after character witnesses testified on his behalf. On 13 December 1826 the Morning Chronicle reported Henry Day was "sent for transportation for a period of 7 years", this was the re-location of convicted criminals to the Colonies to address labour shortages (probably Australia in 1826, but possibly another Colony such as Bermuda that was building the Royal Naval Dockyard). The article by Downes depicts Day's counterfeit marks alongside genuine marks, the imperfections shown are not repeated in these spoon marks, hence our assertion these marks are genuine. Note - A similar set of silver salad servers, dated London 1808, are depicted in the book "Millers Buyers Guide to Silver & Plate", by Daniel Bexfield, page 164.
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Georgian Silver Salad Servers - Henry Day
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