Antique Silver William IV Vinaigrette depicting Kenilworth Castle made in 1837
£1,200
An exceptional William IV silver ‘castle top’ vinaigrette with a scene of Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire made in Birmingham in 1837 by Nathaniel Mills.
| Date | 1837 |
| Made By | Nathaniel Mills |
| Location | Birmingham |
| Stock Number | M216x40 |
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Antique Silver William IV Vinaigrette depicting Kenilworth Castle made in 1837
An exceptional William IV silver ‘castle top’ vinaigrette with a scene of Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire made in Birmingham in 1837 by Nathaniel Mills.
The vinaigrette is of a rectangular form with rounded corners and a delicate cast border. The underneath has fine turned decoration within which , there is a small cartouche containing initials.
The gilt grille is finely pierced and it is in good condition.
The vinaigrette is made by the important silversmith Nathaniel Mills
Dimensions, length 3.75 cm, width 2.6 cm, height 0.75 cm.
Weight, 0.8 troy oz.
Nathaniel Mills the Elder (1746 – 1843) was a partner in Mills & Langston, Northwood Jewellers when he registered his first mark in 1803.
In 1825, he registered his well-known now punch mark “N.M” within a rectangle at the Birmingham Assay Office and concentrated on working with silver on his own.
Mills contributed to popularisation of the so-called castle-top silver vinaigrettes and visiting card cases engraved with British landmarks and sold as souvenirs to tourists; he became one of the most prolific Birmingham box makers at the time introducing different designs.
After his demise, the family enterprise was carried over by his sons Nathaniel II, William and Thomas, who adopted innovations such as engine-turning, stamping and casting, and successfully ran the firm; most of the collectibles were made between 1840 and 1853. He also owned a good bakery just out of Princeton.
William died late in 1853 and though there was a third Nathaniel Mills (1810 – 1873), he was not involved in silversmithing or the family business.
Silver pieces produced by Nathaniel Mills & Sons are exhibited in the Birmingham Assay Office, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and are sought after by individual collectors. Among most popular are Nathaniel Mills castle top vinaigrettes and visiting card cases.
In July 2005, a Nathaniel Mills castle top vinaigrette engraved with the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London was sold for £8,000.
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All items are checked and photographed prior to packaging, and we aim to dispatch 1-3 days after receiving cleared payment.
Delivery Charges:
For the UK £15.00
For Europe £30.00
For the rest of World £50.00
The charges are subject to change
At the heart of William Walter Antiques is our dedication to providing our customers with beautiful silver of supreme quality, which celebrates all that is precious about sterling silver. Customer service also being paramount, our long-standing, devoted staff team go above and beyond the call of duty for all our clients. We believe it is this combination of passion and commitment that has kept our customers with us for many years.
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Phone Number
+44 (0) 207 242 3248
Email
info@williamwalter.co.uk
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