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Silver Tableware

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating” - Luciano Pavarotti

A table dressed for dinner is a magnificent sight and sets the mood for a wonderful occasion. A splendid antique sterling silver centrepiece alongside tureens, sauce boats, dinner and soup plates all set the scene.

Thomas Shepherd, 1771 - 1789. Addresses: Bull &amp; Mouth Street, London (1771) and Glasshouse Yard, Aldersgate Street, London (1785 - 1789).

Thomas Shepherd

Antique Silver George III Pepper made in 1777

James Mince

Antique Silver George III Large Pepper/Spice Caster made in 1802

George Howson was part of the firm Harrison Brothers and Howson.

Thomas Sansom, plate worker at Norfolk Street, Sheffield, entered his mark at Sheffield Assay Office on December 22, 1808. Later the business was continued as Thomas Sansom &amp; Sons, in partnership with his sons Abraham, John and William Sansom.

In 1847, the business was acquired by James William Harrison, Henry Harrison and James William Howson, acting as Harrison Brothers &amp; Howson. James William Harrison retired in 1876 and the business was continued by his partners. Later they were joined in the partnership by George Howson (son of J.W. Howson), Francis William Harrison (son of Henry Harrison) and John Brocksopp Wilkinson (nephew of J.W. Harrison).

From 1892, the activity was continued by George Howson, F.W. Harrison and J.B. Wilkinson. The firm was originally active at 67 Norfolk Street, Sheffield (1866-1896), expanding to Shoreham Street Works (1880) and to a new factory in Carver Street (1901). Harrison Brothers &amp; Howson opened its London showrooms at 11 Hatton Garden (1866) and 43-44 Holborn Viaduct (1885), moving to Regent Arcade House, 19-25 Aryle Street (1941). The trademark was taken over by Viners of Sheffield in 1923.

The firm used the trademark ALPHA PLATE, BEACON PLATE, HALPHROID and LUSTROUS. Later, the firm ceased its activity and the brand of Harrison Brothers &amp; Howson was revived in 1978, under the style of Harrison Brothers &amp; Howson Ltd, a subsidiary of Ben J. Dix of London Ltd.

George Howson

Sterling Silver George V1 Sauce Boat made in 1944

Hester Bateman (1708 - 1794) known as "the Queen of British Silversmiths" was an English silversmith based in London. After the death of her silversmith husband, she successfully ran the family business for 30 years before passing it on to her sons. They in turn passed it on to their sons and the business continued with Batemans at the helm until the mid-19th century.

Hester married John Bateman in 1732 and had six children. When John died of tuberculosis in 1760, he left his tools to his wife and the business. She registered her first mark in 1761 as “HB” in script. Not much appears with her mark up until 1771/2, as it is likely she was supplying other silversmiths who over stamped her mark with their own.

Around 1774, Hester was joined by her sons, John and Peter, and they worked to build up a business in Bunhill Row in London. They first started to produce spoons in the early 1770s (with the odd fork which are very rare from Hester's workshop) and they expanded their range to produce neoclassical style household silverware, which included many items popular in the 18th century such as teaware, wine labels, jugs, salvers, salt cellars, trays and inkwells. There were certain items that she didn’t make such as candlesticks and candelabra - although I think one or two pairs are known!

The Bateman style is known for its bright-cut engraving, piercing and beading around edges. Hester retired in 1790 and her sons continued the business.

Hester Bateman

Pair of Antique Silver George III Sauceboats / Creamboats made in 1781

Joseph Sanders

Son of William Sanders of High Wickham in the County of Buckingham yeoman (and probably therefore younger brother of John Sanders) apprenticed to Thomas Ewesdin 1st September 1714 on payment £12. Turned over 4 September 1719 to Joseph Belcher in Maiden Lane London. Free, 11 January 1721/?2. Livery, March 1727/8. First mark entered as largeworker, 7th December 1730. Address: Carey Lane. “Free Goldsmith”. Second mark, 22 June 1739. Address: Maiden Lane. Heal records him as plateworker, Carey Lane, 1730 and London, 1732-42. Resigned from Livery 18th May 1748.

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Joseph Sanders

Pair of Antique Silver George II Sauce Boats made in 1742

Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp, a London silversmith partnership 1763 - 1788. Working at 14, Westmoreland Buildings, Aldersgate.

Very important makers whose work is always of outstanding quality. They supplied silver to the Royal Family and the upper echelons of British society.

Their mark is normally found on holloware such as plates, dishes, cups and salvers. They made very fine Candlesticks and Candelabra, too.

Daniel Smith &amp; Robert Sharp

Pair of Antique Silver George III Sauce Boats made in 1764 with Masonic Interest

William Hutton &amp; Sons were manufacturing silversmiths founded in 1800 in Birmingham, transferring to Sheffield in 1832.

William Hutton established the firm, and with the move to Sheffield, they also became platers having licensed the electroplating technique from Elkingtons. This gave them much early success.

William’s son, William Carr Hutton, continued the business after his father’s death. He used the same business name until 1864, when it was changed to William Hutton &amp; Son (when William Carr’s own son, Herbert Hutton, joined him).

When William Carr died in 1865, the firm's name was again changed to William Hutton &amp; Sons when Herbert’s brothers joined him (James and Robert). They opened a London showroom in Holborn in 1863, which then moved to Farringdon Road in 1891 operating until 1918.

The Huttons developed a new nickel alloy that was good for plating in the late 1800s and it became known as British Plate. They sent their machine-made silver flatware from Sheffield to be hallmarked in London. They acquired Rupert Favell &amp; Co in 1893, and also registered as a limited company - William Hutton &amp; Sons Ltd.

In 1902, they bought Creswick &amp; Co. and started to use their crossed arrows mark. They became renowned for the quality of their Arts &amp; Crafts silverware items at the turn of the 19th/20th century.

They were taken over by James Dixon &amp; Sons in 1930.

William Hutton &amp; Sons Ltd

Antique Silver Victorian Rose Bowl made in 1895

Duncan Urquhart (active 1791 – 1809); Naphtali Hart (entered 1791, died 1834). London silversmiths.

Urquhart &amp; Hart

Antique Silver George III Bowl made in 1809

Martin, Hall &amp; Co were Sheffield based manufacturing silversmiths, electroplated manufacturers and silver, plated and steel cutlers.

The firm started in 1820 with the partnership of Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts, trading as Wilkinson &amp; Roberts. Wilkinson left in 1846 and Roberts went into partnership with his former apprentice, Ebenezer Hall and became Roberts &amp; Hall. Richard Martin and Joshua Hall (brother of Ebenezer) joined the partnership in 1854 and the firm became Martin, Hall &amp; Co, converting to a limited company in 1866.

With a factory in Sheffield, they went on to open showrooms in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Sydney. As well as producing sterling silver and electroplated wares, they also had a successful (and much cheaper) line of products produced in their patented white metal called “Martinoid” - an alloy of white metals made to look like sterling silver but with no meltdown value.

They exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851, the International Exhibition in 1862, the Sydney Exhibition in 1879, the Melbourne Exhibition in 1881 and the British Industries Fair in 1915.

It is not clear whether the business was sold to Frank Cobb &amp; Co in 1932 or went into liquidation in 1936 when it was delisted.

Martin Hall &amp; Co

Antique Sterling Silver George V Bowl made in 1921

A table dressed for dinner is a magnificent sight and sets the mood for a wonderful occasion. Splendid antique sterling silver centrepiece can set the scene

Silver Tableware

Silver Tableware

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