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Antique Salvers &amp; Trays

“When you have something to carry do it in style" - EAS

We have a vast selection of fine quality antique sterling silver trays, waiters, and salvers to complement any silver tea service. We have all shapes and sizes - with or without handles, plain or ornate borders, highly embellished or unadorned.

Thomas Bradbury &amp; Sons were silversmiths and Sheffield Plate makers based in Sheffield, active between 1795 and 1943.

The partnership between Thomas Bradbury, Thomas Watson and James Fenton was formed in 1795 under the name of Watson &amp; Co. They were registered as silversmiths and Sheffield Plate makers. The son of Thomas Bradbury (Thomas II) and the nephew of Thomas Watson (William Watson) were taken into the partnership.

In 1831, William Watson retired and the firm became Thomas Bradbury &amp; Son. The firm had Sheffield workshops and a London showroom. The firm became Thomas Bradbury &amp; Sons in 1855, and the sons of Thomas Bradbury II (Joseph and Edward) took over.

By 1877, the partners were Thomas Bradbury III (brother of Joseph) and John Sutherland Henderson. This partnership was dissolved in 1888 and the firm went on to be managed by Walton Turner Bradbury and the two sons of Joseph Bradbury (Sr.) Joseph (Jr.) and Frederick. Frederick wrote a book entitled "A History of Old Sheffield Plate" in 1912.

The business registered as a limited company in 1905 as Thomas Bradbury &amp; Sons Ltd. It ceased trading in 1943 and their tools and dies were bought by Atkin Brothers.

Thomas Bradbury

Antique Silver  Edwardian Salver made in 1907

William Peaston was a London based goldsmith who entered his first mark as a large worker in 1746. He went into partnership with Robert Peaston in 1756, and they entered a second mark together. The partnership appears to have lasted until 1763.

William is recorded as working at St. Martin’s Le Grande between 1745 and 1760. Then moving to Jewin Street, where he is recorded as being in 1778. The majority of his work seems to be the making of fine quality salvers.

William Peaston

Antique Silver George II Salver made in 1753

Walker &amp; Hall were Sheffield based silversmiths making their fortune with electroplating, cutlery and silver from the mid-19th century until they closed in 1971.

The company started with a Britannia metalworker - John Harrison - who took the first licence in Sheffield from Elkingtons to make electroplated wares. He sent George Walker to Birmingham to learn the new process. On his return to Sheffield, George decided to set up his own business and entered into partnership with Samuel Coulson in 1845. They obtained their own electroplating licence but did not start manufacture immediately. When they did, they were joined by Henry Hall and they started trading as Walker &amp; Hall in 1853.

When Sir John Bingham joined them in 1852 they had fewer than 20 employees, but by 1894 they had grown to 1500 workers. Sir John Bingham was a master publicist and they appear to be the originators of the false story that George Walker had been an assistant of Dr. John Wright, the surgeon who had invented the electroplating process and so could claim to be a co-inventor. The story has made it into many texts as fact.

They were very successful and went on to open showrooms in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cardiff, Belfast, Hull, Bristol as well as in Australia (Melbourne and Adelaide) and in South Africa (Cape Town).

They became a limited company in 1920 under the name Walker &amp; Hall Ltd, and their "Electro Works" building dominated the Sheffield skyline until it was bombed in the Sheffield blitz in 1940. They managed to rebuild and continued production until 1963. In that year, they combined with Mappin &amp; Webb and Elkington &amp; Co to form British Silverware Ltd.

They shut down as a manufacturer in 1973, although the brand was later revived as a retailer.

Walker &amp; Hall

Sterling Hallmarked Silver George VI Salver made in 1937

William Egan

Irish Silver Salver made in 1968

It is believed that Jones was the widow of one Robert Jones, but this is uncertain. She is known to have registered her mark on 15th January 1783 and has been ascribed an address of 49 Bartholomew Close; her occupation at this time was listed as plateworker.

She specialised in the production of salvers and trays, and numerous trays by her have survived. No record either of apprenticeship or of freedom has been found.

Two pieces by Jones are in the collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a George III teapot stand of 1783 and a George III tray of 1795.

Elizabeth Jones

Antique Silver George III Salver made in 1787

Antique Silver George II Salver made in 1735.

Ebenezer Coker, apprenticed to Joseph Smith 1728, free 1740. Worked in Clerkenwell.

First mark entered 1738. Second mark 1739. Third mark 1745. Fourth mark 1751. Fifth mark c. 1758. Another mark was entered in partnership with Thomas Hannam, 1759. Bankrupt by 1781 and died on 2 August 1783.

Specialist candlestick and salver maker. His work is always of a high standard.

In the earlier part of his career - until the late 1750s - principally a spoon maker.

Ebenezer Coker

Antique Silver George III 18 inch Salver made in 1773

Antique Silver George II Salver made in 1758

London silversmith, no record of apprenticeship or freedom.

First mark entered as plateworker on 11th February, 1792. Address: 45 St John’s Street, West Smithfield.

Second mark 2nd August, 1800.

Third mark 8th August, 1800. Heal records him as Thomas (clearly a directory misprint), plateworker St John Street, 1792 and as Timothy, goldsmith, London , 1800-04.

Although the company records show no signs of his connections, it seems likely that Renou came from a considerable family of goldsmiths. The earliest recorded is Philippe Renou a refugee c. 1685; other London silversmiths working in the 1700s were Abraham Renou, Jacques Renou, James Renou, E Renou and Timothy Renou (grandfather?).

A Timothy Renou, perhaps son of the goldsmith, served as a midshipman in H. M. S. Colossus at Trafalgar. He was born at Berwick in 1789, which seems, however, to make the connection unlikely (The Nelson Collection at Lloyds, 1932 p. 10 footnote 25).

Renou’s mark is usually found on dinner plates, dishes and to a limited extent salvers, all of good quality and refinement of design.

Timothy Renou

Antique Silver George III Salver made in 1793

We have a vast selection of fine quality antique sterling silver trays, waiters, and salvers to complement any silver tea service.

Antique Salvers & Trays

Antique Salvers & Trays

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