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Antique Teaware

<em>"Under certain circumstances, there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea" <strong>- Henry James</strong></em>

Our antique sterling silver teaware includes a beautiful selection of tea sets, tea and coffee pots, cream jugs and sugar bowls - plus a full range of tea accessories.

Afternoon tea was introduced by Anna Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in around 1840. Today, this excellent idea, has had a resurgence.

Please view our full range of teaware, as they make wonderful gifts for the tea enthusiast.

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

Samuel Meriton II, 1778 - 1795. Registered May, 1775 &amp; 1781.

Samuel Meriton II

Antique Silver George III Sugar Basket made in 1783

A London silversmith firm whose origins go back to 1791, when John Lias began in business as a buckle maker.

In 1818, he took as his partner, his son, Henry Lias I, and they were joined from 1823 to 1837 by another son, Charles. Henry Lias I and his son, Henry Lias II, were partners from 1850.

In 1879, Henry Lias II formed a firm with James Wakely. In 1884, the firm consisted of James Wakely and Frank Wheeler, becoming Wakely &amp; Wheeler in 1909. In 1957, the business was acquired by Padgett &amp; Braham Ltd.

Wakely &amp; Wheeler

Sterling Silver Elizabeth II Sugar Caster made in 1973

Viners origins date back to Sheffield in the early 1900s. Emile Viner, together with his brother, Adolf, a director of Viner's, Ltd., was one of the largest cutlery and silverware firms of the world. Viners Ltd was a well-established manufacturer of silverware, cutlery and pewter based in Bath Street, Sheffield.

As immigrant Jews, Adolf and Emile changed their name from Viener to Viner in November 1925. Also spelled Adolph Weiner when he was knighted by the Crown)

The company's manufacture of helmets and other war items is described in Sheffield's Great War and Beyond, by Peter Warr (Pen and Sword Books, 2015).

The hallmark for Viners Ltd. silver was registered to son Edward / know as Emile Viner: in 1932 it was “E.V” with figures and in 1964, it was “EV” with associated figures.

Viners - now part of The Rayware Group - is a highly distinguished and much loved brand, steeped in British Heritage.

Emile Viner

Sterling Silver George V Sugar Caster made in 1934

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 Victorian Sugar Caster made in 1891

Adie Brothers was a Birmingham based silversmith located on Frederick Street in 1902. They later became Adie Brothers Ltd and registered new hallmarks in 1922. Best known for making vanity cases but they made a wide range silver serving items. In the late 1960’s Aide Brothers Ltd became part of British Silverware, which closed in 1968.

Adie Bros Ltd

Art Deco Silver Tea Service made in 1936

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 1740

Samuel Welder, 1730 - 1735. Registered October, 1729.

Samuel Welder

Antique Silver George II Sugar Caster made in 1733

Our antique sterling silver teaware includes a beautiful selection of tea sets, tea and coffee pots, cream jugs and sugar bowls.

Antique Teaware

Antique Teaware

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