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John Wrangham &amp; William Moulson

Antique Silver Early Victorian Inkstand made in 1840 with Royal Interest

John Eckford II, London silversmith, apprenticed to John Fawdery 1712, turned over to John Eckfourd 1712, and turned over again to Philip Rollos 1714. Free 1723. Two marks entered as largeworker (sterling and new standard) 1725. 3rd mark entered 1739.

His son Joseph apprenticed to Henry Brind 1746, and another John to John Swift 1753.

John Eckfourd II

Joseph Bird (active before 1685, died 1735), London silversmith, free of the Brewers Company sometime prior to 1685. Largeworker. He entered 2 undated marks circa 1697 at the address in Foster Lane where he continued to work throughout his career. 3rd mark no date or address attributed. 4th (sterling) 1724. Some of his marks incorporate a little bird .

Joseph Bird was a specialist candlestick maker who passed down his skills to his apprentice David Green and through Green to James Gould who in turn was master to John Cafe. A worthy line of distinguished candlestick makers.

Joseph Bird

A Matched Pair of Early Eighteenth Century Antique Silver Candlesticks made in 1714 /1737

Paul Storr is considered one of the most talented English silversmiths of the 19th century. His legacy of exceptionally well-crafted silver has found its way into museums and private collections worldwide, including at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace as well as in the V &amp; A and the Metropolitan Museum in New York amongst many other leading collections.

He was born in London in 1771. He began his career in 1792 when he went into a brief partnership with William Frisbee (which didn’t last), and he entered his own mark in 1793. By the start of the 19th century, he had become one of London’s most renowned silversmiths and was receiving commissions from Royalty and the English aristocracy. His reputation was garnered through his mastery of the grandiose neoclassical style developed during the Regency period.

In 1797, he received his first major commission – a gold font for the Duke of Portland. He went on to create the "Battle of the Nile Cup" presented to Lord Nelson in 1799.

He entered into a working relationship with Philip Rundell in 1807 and became a partner in 1811, managing the workshops for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell. He kept his own marks throughout this period and maintained his own workshop, but it was through his association with Rundell, Bridge and Rundell who had the Royal Warrant as Goldsmiths to George III that he was able to display his exceptional skill at transforming the ideas and designs of the Rundell’s designers.

By 1819, he felt he had lost a lot of his artistic freedom and he left Rundell to open his own shop and he soon began to enjoy the patronage he wanted. He soon needed a retail premises and he joined with John Mortimer to establish Storr and Mortimer on New Bond Street in 1822.

He retired in 1838 and died in 1844. He is buried in Tooting, London. He left an estate of £3,000.

Paul Storr

Antique Silver George III Dessert Service made in 1818-20 for The Earl of Thanet

Robert Gray began to work in Glasgow in 1776 when he became a freeman. He opened a new business in 1802 under the style Robert Gray &amp; Son.

The firm used the Edinburgh Assay Office until 1819, after which, and until 1852, their work was assayed exclusively in Glasgow.

Robert Gray &amp; Son

Antique Silver George III Scottish Salver made in 1788, a baptismal gift to Lt Col Alexander Barton who later fought at Waterloo

William Bennett, entered 1st June 1796. Address: 2 Half Moon Passage, Aldersgate Street. Moved to 19 Little Bartholomew Close, 25th September 1800.

His mark appears chiefly on trays and salvers in which he specialised.

Died in February, 1825.

William Bennett

Son of Thomas Pitts I, apprenticed to his father of Air Street, Piccadilly. Goldsmith, Citizen and Goldsmith, March 1769. Free, 3rd November 1784.

First mark entered as plateworker, 18th December 1781. Address: 17 St Martin’s Street, Leicester Fields. Second mark, 4th May 1786. Address: 26 Litchfield Street, Soho. Third mark, in partnership with Joseph Preedy, 11th January 1791, same address. Moved to 8 Newport Street, St. Ann’s, 3rd August 1795.

Fourth mark alone, 21st December 1799. Address: 15 Little Wild Street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Fifth mark, 5th March 1806. Address: 14 James Street, Lambeth Marsh.

His son, William, was apprenticed to his father on 5th February 1806. The latter was then already at James Street, where he or William II was still, in 1818, on the apprenticeship to him of John Childers, when Pitts was described as silversmith and chaser. Heal records all the above addresses and dates up to 1800.

In his production of epergnes and dessert baskets and stands, both alone and with Preedy, William Pitts shows himself specialising in exactly the same work as his father. In the Regency period, he turned to the production of ornate cast candelabra in the neo-rococo style.

William Pitts

Pair of George III Antique Silver Entree Dishes made in 1806 for Sir Benjamin Hobhouse

Working from about 1762, he entered into partnership with David Whyte in Clerkenwell Green (1764-67). He works alone for a period and then enters into a partnership with the Huguenot silversmith, Nicholas Dumee, in 1773.

In January 1776, he works alone and retires in the early 1790s.

A fine maker - normally in the neoclassical style - famous for cups and covers and tureens.

He worked at 12 Clerkenwell Green.

William Holmes

Pair of George III Antique Silver Sauce Tureens made in 1784 for the marriage of  Joseph Crompton of York to Anna Maria Rookes of Roydes Hall, Yorkshire

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 Oval Salver made in 1783 of Historical Interest

Samuel Wood (c. 1704 - 1794), apprenticed to Thomas Bamford 1721, free 1730. First mark entered as largeworker, 1733. Second mark c. 1738. Third mark, 1739. Fourth mark entered 1754. Fifth mark 1756. Warden 1758 - 60, and Prime Warden 1763.

Through his apprenticeship to Thomas Bamford - who had been bound to Charles Adam - Wood came from a continuous line of specialist caster-makers and in turn trained both Jabez Daniell and Robert Piercey (q.v.), both clearly established also in the same line of production.

Wood’s cruets and individual casters, although produced in quantity, are of a uniformly high standard and one of the most attractively designed smaller items of plate; without which, no reasonably equipped table of the 18th century appears to have been complete.

Samuel Wood

Antique Silver George II Sugar Caster made in 1754

First mark entered as largeworker in October 1747 at Aldersgate Street. Second mark - with an unnamed partner - as Samuel Herbert &amp; Co in November, 1750. His workshops by then were in Foster Lane.

A fine maker who specialised in hand pierced work notably on wine coasters, baskets and mustard pots.

Silver Historical Items

Silver Historical Items

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