Home

Silver Tableware

Antique Sauce Boats &amp; Tureens

John Langlands was a Newcastle based silversmith. He was part of the Langlands family who were the largest silver-plate producers in Newcastle for 60 years.

John Langlands started in partnership with John Goodrick, taking over the business of their master Isaac Cookson when he died in 1754. When Goodrick died in 1757, Langlands carried on and the business continued to thrive. He went into partnership with John Robertson I in 1778 until 1795. When the partnership was dissolved (two years after his death in 1793), his wife, Margaret, ran things in the meantime. Langlands son, Robert II, took over the business and it continued to produce high quality silver plate. His widow Dorothy took over after his death in 1804 and continued until her retirement in 1814.

The Langlands and Robertson partnership was very prolific, and they became renowned sugar tong makers rivalling good London producers of the same period. They entered marks in 1778 and 1780 and continued to use both, so dating their pieces can be difficult on marks alone.

John Langlands I

Antique Newcastle Sterling Silver George III Sauce Boat made in 1774

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.

&nbsp;

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 Williamson II Dublin c 1760 (active 1734 – 1770)

William Williamson

Antique Silver George III Irish Sauce Boat made in c.1770

Robert Calderwood was one of Ireland's finest 18th century goldsmiths. He has been described in the past as the Paul de Lamerie of Dublin.
Calderwood's firm was probably the largest concern of its type in Ireland at this time, and during the period 1727 - 1764, he engaged no less than 14 apprentices, the greatest number recorded in 18th century Ireland.
His business was diverse (he was also known as an importer of Chelsea porcelain) and was responsible for the introduction of the first silver wire-drawing and gold and silver lace manufactory in Ireland, importing specialists from Hamburg and London to run this side of the business.
The Dublin Assay Office records show Calderwood as the most prolific user of their services. In 1754, the Company assayed 52,000 oz. of silver of which Calderwood's submissions exceeded 4,000 oz. the balance being submissions from over 80 silversmiths.

Robert Calderwood

Antique Silver George II Irish Sauce Boat made in c.1750

Member of a Huguenot family originating in Bagnolssue  Ceze, Languedoc . Guillaume Portal born 1639, was ‘of the Great Wardrobe’ of William III and Anne. His brother Jean Francois also fled to England, father of three sons and seven daughters.
The second son Pierre Guillaume became rector of Clowne , County Derby , c1724 and South Fambridge, County of Essex in 1734. His first son Andrew took orders and was vicar of St. Helen’s Abingdon. Abraham, his second son, described as son of William Portal of Prittlewell in the Country of Essex clerk, was apprenticed to Paul De Lamerie 3 July 1740 on Payment of £35.
Free, 7 March 1749. Mark entered as largeworker, 26 October 1749. Address: Rose Street, Soho. Moved into the precinct of the Savoy, 29 September 1750. Moved to the Strand, 1 June 1753. Livery, June 1763.
Heal records him as goldsmith, jeweller and dramatist, Rose Street, Soho 1749; Salmon and Pearl, 34, Ludgate Hill, 1763-78 and Castle Street, Holborn, 1795, died 1809; also, in partnership with Harry Gearing as goldsmiths, jewellers and toymen, at Ludgate Hill address, 1774, bankrupt 1778.  He appears as goldsmith, Ludgate Hill, in the Parl. Report list 1773. His brother William was apprenticed to him, 1750. Abraham married firstly Elizabeth Bedwell of Abingdon (where his brother was vicar) , who bore him two sons and four daughters , one of whom, Anne , married Moreton Welhouse and became mother of Edward , 1st Lord Hatherton.
Portal is one of the very few goldsmiths to appear in the Dictionary of National Biography, on account of his literary activities. He first appears in Biographica Dramatica (1812): Failing in this (i.e., as a goldsmith) he commenced bookselling in the Strand (cf, the move of 1753, above) in which he was more successful. He finished his career as box-keeper at Drury Lane Theatre, but we cannot learn the time of his death. His first play was Olindo and Sophronia a tragedy 1758. “This play is a very indifferent one and was never brought on the stage. The story of it is taken from Tasso’s Gieruselemme Liberata.  The author tells us that was his virgin tragedy, the effort of almost unassisted nature, the solace and amusement of the leisure hours of one who has hitherto passed his time not in the learned and peaceful retreats of the Muses, but in the rude and noisy shop of Vulcan’.
Portal’s further plays published were The Indiscreet Lover, comedy 1768; The Cady of Bagdad, opera 1778, performed for one night at Drury Lane (the songs only printed) and Vortimer or The True Patriot 1796. In 1781 he produced a volume of Poems with dedicatory lines to Richard Brinsley Sheridan, with whom he claimed friendship and containing a Sonnet to Sheridan’s wife, the beautiful Elizabeth Linley, and a Monody on the death of her brother Thomas. Portal’s second son was christened Richard Brinsley, whose godfather seems little in doubt.
Portal’s work, as may be expected from his flirting with the literary muse, is rare, but shows on occasions a reasonable accomplishment, perhaps the work of his journeymen. His evidence to the Parl. Report Committee in 1773, of the difficulty he found in distinguishing the marks on Sheffield plate from those on silver, leaves doubts as to whether bad eye-sight, ineptitude or business spite was the reason.

He died in Castle Street, Holborn, January 1809, and was buried at St. Andrews’s, leaving less than £1000. (Some of the of the above details came from Sir William Portal, Bart, Abraham Portal  and his descendants 1925.

Abraham Portal

Pair of George III Silver Sauce Boats made in 1763

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

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

Antique Sauce Boats & Tureens

Antique Sauce Boats & Tureens

Filter

Availability

Maker

Period

Monarch