A rare Iona silver letter opener, in the form of a sword, in the Celtic Arts and Crafts style, made by Alexander Ritchie of Iona. The letter opener is a substantial size and weight, a quality item, and is a pleasure to use. The sword is decorated with Celtic knotwork on the handle and blade. The hallmarks are very clear, "A.R." incuse makers mark, "IONA", and Glasgow hallmarks for 1929. Alex Ritchie's work was inspired by the ancient Celtic and Viking carvings on Iona. He is regarded as one of the most respected and sought after Scottish silver jewellers of the 20th century. (All information courtesy of Alexander Ritchie website, see link on our links page. An identical letter opener is shown on the website, http://www.alexander-ritchie.co.uk/other, it is described as "substantial, the design similar to one used on his much smaller sword brooches".)
A lovely Georg Jensen sterling silver brooch, pattern number 266. The brooch is rectangular, with a wavy crosshatch bar pattern interspersed with 3 different sizes of silver balls, this has been described as the Jensen "Silver Ball" brooch. The brooch is clearly hallmarked with interesting marks, 6 distinct punch groupings have been used, so quite unusual to have so many hallmarks on such a small piece. They include 1. "Georg Jensen Silversmiths LTD", 2. "Sterling", 3. "Denmark", 4."266", 5. "GJLd" (makers mark), 6. "London post 1906 import mark, .925, N" (London import marks for 1948). The first 4 marks would have been added in Denmark, the last 2 on import into London in 1948.
An Arts & Crafts Britannia silver tumbler cup, with hand hammered (planished) sides, and rounded heavy base, made by the little known silversmith Denis Lacy-Hulbert for his brother. The cup is beautifully proportioned, ideal for use, and is a lovely quality item. The cup is engraved "Cyril Lacy-Hulbert, M.A. (HONS) CANTAB, C.ENG, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech E.", well positioned beneath the hallmarks, which also add to the decorative effect. The reverse of the tumbler has the Lacy-Hulbert family crest, with motto "Pro Aris Et Focis", translated "For Hearth and Home". The hallmarks are excellent, all clearly struck, including Britannia which indicates this silver is higher grade 950 standard (sterling is lower grade 925). Tumbler cups were originally made in the 17th and 18th century, designed with a heavy rounded base that rights itself to prevent spillage when traveling (think stagecoach or boat). Denis (Ben) Lacy-Hulbert (1911-2005) was Managing Director of a family steel tube/ cylinder manufacturing business, silve...
Beautiful ladle by the famed maker Alwyn Carr, one of the leading silversmiths of the Arts and Crafts period. It dates from the period after the dissolution of his partnership with Omar Ramsden, which occurred in 1918 when Carr returned from the Great War as a wounded Captain. The ladle is double lipped, spot hammered, has a rattail and a heart shaped terminal. The hallmarks are very clear. Carr died in 1940.
Beautiful Arts and Crafts low tazza, with celtic design rim and 8 celtic buttons of two different sizes arranged around the rim. It is a pleasing size and weight, perfect for use as a fruit bowl. This is a truly stunning piece, by highly regarded makers. Hallmarks are very clear
A pair of Scottish Arts and Crafts silver napkin rings, with a wonderful planished (hand hammered) surface. The rings are a very pleasing quality and weight, and the condition is excellent. Both rings are clearly hallmarked with small hallmarks on the interior, one is 2003, the other 2006 but they match perfectly. The are also marked "STERLING 925". The rings are accompanied with original box marked "Eric N Smith Goldsmith Designer". Eric Smith was an award winning designer and Jeweller, based in Glasgow for over 50 years until his retirement in 2018. He also completed a project to restore the Glasgow hallmark in 2013, which had not been used since 1963.
An interesting Georg Jensen silver and enamel napkin ring, this is the Cherub napkin ring No. 258 with blue enamel. The winged cherub is in a central roundel, connected to the elegant shaped ring with 4 silver balls. The hallmarks are very clear, and read :DESSIN HN DENMARK GEORG JENSEN & WENDEL A/S STERLING 925S". Dessin HN refers to the designer Harald Nielsen, who was the brother of Jensen's 3rd wife Johanne. He joined the Jensen business in 1909, he was a gifted draughtsman, who together with Jensen and Johan Rohde "helped to establish the Jensen style as we know it and the firm's tradition for outstanding quality" - Janet Drucker, Georg Jensen A Tradition of Splendid Silver, page 301 (a book we highly recommend). Nielsen became artistic leader of the Georg Jensen Silversmithy in 1935 after Jensen's death. The Jensen Wendel hallmark was used between 1945 and 1951, as during these years there was a trademark dispute over the Jensen brand with Jensen USA. This Cherub napkin ring no.258 is depicted in the ab...
An Iona sterling Silver Prioress Anna Disc and Shield brooch, made by Alexander Ritchie of Iona, one of the most respected and sought after Scottish silver jewellers of the 20th century. The brooch is a classic Ritchie design in Celtic Arts & Crafts style, a convex shield with Celtic cross, and central knotwork boss. The 4 arms feature a copy of the stone effigy of Prioress Anna Maclean of Iona, the central boss reads "Prioress Anna - Iona". The original stone carving of Prioress Anna is still visible on Iona. The brooch is cast, the pin is in full working order, and the original safety pin chain is still intact and working. The hallmarks are worn, makers mark AR is just visible, as is "IONA" which is legible but worn. A second AR and IONA is present but badly worn. No date letter or townmark is present. We assume this means this was an early Ritchie piece, made before he started using the Chester assay office in 1910. A registration number (to protect the design) is clearly visible, Rd No 664083. Alex Ritc...
A Danish silver Skonvirke (Arts & Crafts) pastry or cake server, made by the respected Danish silversmith Evald Nielsen in 1925. The server is the No 4 pattern, which has organic flowing scrolls in relief, so quite pleasing to hold. The server is hand hammered, with the planish marks visible on the blade and the stem. The blade is nicely shaped, and has a raised lip which increases away from the pointed tip, so very practical to use. The server is 830 grade silver, as is usual for Danish silver. The well struck hallmarks include "Evald Nielsen" in an attractive script, with "No 4" indicating pattern, date letter "ANNO 1925", the letter "S" surrounded by dots in shaped punch for silver, and "830" in oval punch surrounded by dots for grade of silver. Evald Nielsen worked between 1905 and 1958 from Copenhagen, he designed all his own designs (as opposed to his contemporary Georg Jensen). He won numerous awards internationally, and his silver can be seen in numerous museums, including the Metropolitan in New York...
A lovely set of Georg Jensen Beaded pattern mocha spoons (6), perfectly preserved in their original box. The spoons are small and dainty, but exude the quality you expect from Jensen. The original silk lined box reads "Georg Jensen, Silversmith, 15a New Bond St, London W.I, Member of the Salon Paris". The beaded pattern (Kugle in Danish, Jensen pattern # 7) has a beaded pattern around the lower edge of the handle, it was designed by Jensen himself in 1916, described as "an elegant composition, that remains contemporary in design while imparting a timeless quality" - Georg Jensen, Tradition of Splendid Silver, page 267. All 6 spoons are clearly hallmarked with Danish marks GJ in circular bead with 925 standard mark, and English import marks for 1925, with importers mark GS for George Stockwell & Co, (imported Jensen silver between 1909 and 1931).
A set of 6 sterling silver Arts & Crafts teaspoons, made by Kurt Jobst circa 1950. The spoons have spiral design finials, which were described by Nadine Gordimer as "chamelon tail spoons", source the book "Kurst Jobst, Goldsmith, Silversmith, Art Metal Worker", 1979, page 46, a book we highly recommend. The spoons also have round bowls and hand hammered "square" handles, they are a pleasure to hold and use. They are great quality, each individually made by hand by a master craftsman. The same book depicts these spoons in 3 different sizes (page 40), the smallest probably for salt, the medium teaspoons and the largest probably for condiments (these spoons are the medium size). All 6 spoons have clear hallmarks, and include his trademark "unicorn" KJ mark, along with "Jobst, Sterling and .925" marks. Jobst was born in Austria in 1905, he served his apprenticeship in Hanau, Germany, his influence was the Bauhaus movement. He emigrated with his family in 1936 from Austria to South Africa to escape Hitler, and be...
A good quality antique silver replica of what is commonly referred to as "The Tudor Cup", which became famous when it was sold (as part of the Dunn-Gardner collection) at Christies auction in 1901 for GBP 4100, the highest price ever paid for a piece of silver at that time. John Dunn-Gardner, of Soham Manor, had a legendary collection of silver, the sale covered 6 volumes. The original cup of 1521, with scallop shell makers mark, is also known as the Holms cup, named after a previous owner. The original cup is now part of the collection of the Royal Scottish Museum, who purchased it in 1958 for GBP 9500. The museum's resources were augmented by the National Art Collection's fund, the Pilgrim Trust, the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, H.M. Treasury and 2 private donors, enabling the cup to be kept in Great Britian (Ian Finlay, Silver in the Royal Scottish Museum, Connoisseur June 1959), where the original cup is pictured. The original cup is also pictured in the book "Old London Silver" by Howard (pg 100). ...
An Arts and Crafts Swedish silver sugar bowl with lid, with circular hand hammered body on a raised circular foot, the lid with a ring finial. It is a simple but beautiful design, and is a very good weight and excellent quality. The hallmarks are very clear, having been protected by the raised foot. They include the Swedish State mark (3 crowns) and 830 silver standard (S in hexagon), Goteborg city mark (crowned G), date letter for 1962 (M9) and sponsors mark for Thore Eldh (SFS). Thore Eldh was a highly regarded Swedish designer who worked between 1935 and 1967. In addition to the hallmarks, the bowl is stamped "Cecilia" in script form, we assume a pattern name.
A lovely and practical pair of South African sterling silver ice tongs, made in 1997 by silversmith SM (as yet unidentified, all assistance welcome). The tongs have cast silver grips with 3 prongs, modelled as leaves rather than the more usual lion paw or chicken feet design, and are very practical for gripping ice cubes. The bow of the tongs is decorated with a cast silver bud, and the arms are quite long, longer than tongs used for sugar cubes. The quality is very pleasing, these ice tongs are a pleasure to use. The tongs have 4 hallmarks, all clearly visible, these include S925 sterling standard mark, springbok head for South Africa, in use since 1975, makers mark SM in shield and date letter X for 1997.
An early Keswick School of Industrial Arts silver caddy spoon, instantly recognisable as Keswick from its distinctive arts and crafts design and finish, with planished bowl, fish tail handle and mock rivet punches. The Keswick silver hallmark was only registered in 1905, so this is one of their earliest silver spoons. Close inspection shows the rivets are not evenly spaced, so clearly struck by hand. The hallmarks are very clear, including makers mark KSIA in oval punch. The Keswick School of Industrial Arts was established in Keswick, Cumberland in 1884 by Canon Rawnsley, Vicar of Crosthwaite and Canon of Carlisle, and his wife Edith, as a metalwork class following the teachings of John Ruskin and William Morris. Many famous artists, including Harold Stabler and Leslie Durbin, were part of the faculty. Hand finished metal work proved a difficult competitor to machine finished work and the School closed in its centenary year, 1984. Although they produced furniture and furnishings, it is for their metalwork t...
Small Liberty cymric bowl set with turquoises, probably designed by Archibald Knox. Knox was renowned for his use of semi precious stones with silver.
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 Peruvian sterling silver Arts & Crafts tray, made by Industria Peruana and branded Old Cuzco. The tray is rectangular, and has three separate compartments, so quite practical for serving snacks. It is a pleasing weight, a pleasure to hold and use. The tray has a reeded rim with 6 shells completing the decoration. The tray is clearly hand made, slightly irregular, we really like this tray. It is hallmarked on the base "Old Cuzco Peruana Industria 925".
A cast silver commemorative wine label engraved "RUM", made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. The label is curved rectangular shape, with central peak topped with the Royal crown, and beautiful applied lion supporters on each side. The label is lovely quality, quite heavy, a pleasure to hold. These wine labels were distributed by the wine merchants Saccone & Speed, as can be seen in the photograph of the advert (courtesy of www.steppeshillfarmantiques.com). The hallmarks are very clear, and include the coronation mark, and makers mark LGD for Leslie Durbin. Leslie Durbin was one of the most admired silversmiths of the 20th century, his silver is in the Royal collection, he was also honoured with a 1 man exhibition at the Goldsmiths hall entitled "50 Years of Silversmithing" in 1982. He produced the silver components for the Stalingrad Sword during WW II, he also designed British coinage. He apprenticed with Omar Ramsden, his students included Benney, Mellor and Robert Welsh. Durbin is a...
A Liberty Cymric silver matchbox holder, set with a single cabochon of turquoise, typical of the designer Archibald Knox for Liberty. The hallmarks are clear, although the makers mark is only partially visible, but clearly identifiable as Liberty. This box is not stamped "Cymric", although it undoubtably belongs to the Cymric range.
