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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.

James &amp; William Deakin were manufacturers of silver and plate in Sheffield and were founded in 1866 by James Deakin. They started as James Deakin &amp; Co and then became James Deakin &amp; Sons in 1871.

They entered their first mark with the Sheffield Assay Office in 1878. This was a "JD" over "WD" which may have represented both James Deakin and his son William Deakin’s partnership at that time. Two additional sons joined the firm, John and Albert in 1886.

By 1888, they had opened offices and showrooms in London, Chester and Birmingham. They went on to open another one in London and further offices and showrooms in Glasgow and Belfast. James Deakin retired in 1893 and continued under his three sons, William, John and Albert. They became a limited company, James Deakin &amp; Sons Ltd in 1897.

They also owned subsidiaries. These were Shaw &amp; Fisher who were electro-plate manufacturers and Walter Latham &amp; Son, who manufactured sterling silver and electro-plate (who were established in 1874).

James &amp; William Deakin

Sterling Silver George V Bread/ Fruit dish made in 1928

Elkington &amp; Co. was a silver manufacturer from Birmingham, England. It was founded by George Richards Elkington and his brother, Henry Elkington, in the 1830s.

It operated under the name G. R. Elkington &amp; Co. until 1842, when a third partner, Josiah Mason, joined the firm. It operated as Elkington, Mason, &amp; Co. until 1861, when the partnership with Mason was terminated.

The firm operated independently as Elkington &amp; Co. from 1861 until 1963. It was then taken over by British Silverware, Ltd. In 1971 British Silverware, Ltd. became a subsidiary of Delta Metal Co. Ltd.

Over the course of history, it became very successful and was one of the prime producers of silver plating. Elkington received various royal warrants of appointments, and an Imperial and Royal Warrant of Appointment from the emperor of Austria.

One of their most famous pieces is the electrotype copy of the Jerningham Wine Cooler at the Victoria &amp; Albert Museum.One of the most important 19th century Silversmiths finally dissolving in the late 1960s.

Elkington &amp; Co

Antique Sterling Silver George V Comport Dish made in 1912

POSTON &amp; CO LTD

The founder was Arthur Edward Poston (1896-1971). He was born at Ilford in Essex, the son of Arthur Poston and his wife, Florence. The latter couple operated the Cross Keys Pub, at Crown Street in Dagenham.

In the Census (1911), Arthur Edward was working as a cutler’s assistant. By the end of the 1920s, he had launched a retail silversmithing business at Lonsdale House, Dowgate Hill, next to Cannon Street Station, in London. Besides silverware, he sold jewellery, rings, watches, sterling silver and electroplate cutlery.

His products were sourced from Sheffield and Birmingham. In Sheffield, his ‘Works’ was likely to have been Poston Products Ltd, which by 1951 operated as a manufacturing silversmith from 245 Rockingham Street (an office address). Later addresses in Sheffield were Backfields and Cambridge Street.  Poston used ‘LONSDALE’ and ‘CHESTER’ as trade names.

Arthur Edward Poston died on 9 July 1971, leaving £107,642.  The company continued to trade after its takeover by Plaxtons (Scarborough) Ltd.  Poston Products (Sheffield) Ltd was liquidated in 2000.

Poston &amp; Co

Silver Plate George V Strawberry Dish made c 1935

Antique Silver George III Apple Corer made in 1811

John Gold

Son of George Gold of West Ham, Essex Independent minister, apprenticed to Robert Purton of Carey Lane as a goldsmith on 7 August 1782 (the same day as Thomas Johnson to the same master). Free, 2 December 1789. Mark entered as a small worker, 27 March 1793. Adress: 156 Aldergate . Moved to 40 Foster Lane, 24 July 1794. Moved to 118 Fleet Street, 14 November 1808.

Heal records him as a goldsmith, Priest Court, Foster Lane, 1796.

John Gold

Antique Silver George III Mustard Pot made in 1801

John Alistair Donald

Sterling Silver Elizabeth II Bowl made in 2001

Haseler Brothers

Antique Silver Victorian Mustard Pot made in 1898

Richard Pearce &amp; George Burrows II. Their hallmark was registered in 1826 and is known to have been still active in 1847.

Makers of good quality holloware such as tea sets and cups.

G Burrows II &amp; R Pearce

Antique Silver Victorian Pierced Mustard Pot made in 1846.

George Smith II and Thomas Hayter (Grimwade p. 909) had workshops and a retail shop at 4 Huggin Lane, Wood Street in the Parish of St. Michael, London. They were in partnership from 1792 to 1805.

Employed in the shop were three shop men headed by Hayter. Henry Thomas Jennings was one of the shop men.

Hayter was a careful man with concerns about being robbed and would spend hours applying secret marks to gold rings etc. prior to them coming up for sale so that they could be identified as his in the event of a robbery. If a suspicious person entered the shop, Hayter would say "take the spoons upstairs" - this would be a secret signal for one of the shop men to go to the rear workshops and alert the journeymen, he would then go and fetch the constable (who was probably on a retainer to be close by).

George Smith II &amp; Thomas Hayter

Antique Silver George III Mustard Pot made in 1800

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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