From approximately the earlier years of the 1770s separate parts of a vessel such as spouts or lids were stamped out using a drop-hammer. The piece of Sheffield plate would be placed upon a striking block which had a die sunk with a model of the required shape. Then the hammer, the face of which was raised with the same shape as the sunken die, was manipulated from above by a rope between two vertical rods and, as it struck the block, the Sheffield plate was stamped into shape. The parts would then be soldered to the vessel. The introduction of harder steels made possible more sharply-defined pieces and during the Regency period entire units were produced in this manner. Die-stamping was a very important technique, advances in it contributing greatly to mass-production methods in both silver and Sheffield plate. By the last decade of the eighteenth century larger, flat pieces such as trays were being produced in this manner, suitably ornamented as already described. (more…)

In the twentieth century it is difficult to imagine eating meals without the aid of cutlery, yet it was not until the eighteenth century that it became the general custom to use forks, knives and spoons. The habit spread only gradually. Towards the later years of the seventeenth century a host might be expected to provide cutlery at table and although this tendency increased, many travellers carried with them their own personal set of a fork, knife and spoon, in a case often made of tooled leather, until as late as around the middle of the eighteenth century. (more…)

It always seems a pity that the tea kettle is no longer required in the making of tea, and indeed has not been for generations since it was succeeded by the tea urn during the last 25 years or so of the eighteenth century, for it was among the most magnificent of all rococo domestic silver. Its introduction was born of the necessity for a constant supply of hot water to replenish the tiny Queen Anne teapots already discussed. The brewing of tea was a fashionable ritual in those distant days, the mistress of the house attending to it herself usually in the drawing roomor salon.

Early tea kettles were extremely plain and homely vessels, and their. rotund shape was similar to that of the pear-shaped teapot. Likewise their spouts were of the swan-neck variety, and their lids usually topped with a wooden knop. Handles were of the swing type with wooden grips, but these varied. (more…)

Comparatively few teapots were made in England before the eighteenth century and these are now exceedingly rare. As the fashion for drinking tea spread, the demand for the right kind of vessel in which to brew it brought about new types of containers for sugar, milk and tea. These tea accoutrements were made increasingly throughout the eighteenth century until, by the final decades, they had become an important branch of the silversmith’s work. Late seventeenth century teapots are unique and are mostly seen in museums. Outstanding among them is the historical conical-topped teapot (1670) in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, with the spout quaintly set at right-angles to the handle, a practice which was short-lived. Another shape of this early period looks like a melon or similar fruit. (more…)

Unlike the mote skimmer, which has no use today but which is of interest because of its curiosity value, sugar tongs not only reflect contemporary decorative styles but can be of use at the tea table today. While prices of certain tongs have increased a good deal over recent years, nineteenth century examples may still be bought for reasonable sums. The shape of early sugar nippers was derived from contemporary fire tongs, and they commonly have baluster stems, and circular or shell-shaped grips. Some grips had rat-tail terminals at the back for strengthening, the stems sometimes being decorated with an acorn or some other decorative shape at their centre point. (more…)

Tea was a precious commodity because of its high cost, and the very small size of early canisters reflected this when they were introduced during the final years of the seventeenth century. It is thought that the shape of the early silver tea canister imitated the shape of the Oriental stoppered jars of porcelain then being imported, because they looked rather like metal jars with a flat, rectangular base, and undecorated straight sides which curved in at the shoulders to a circular neck fitted with a slip-on, rounded cap. A late seventeenth century example might be only three inches high, but by Queen Anne’s reign they were generally taller. (more…)

For many years tea was commonly drunk clear in the Chinese fashion and because of this and other reasons it is difficult to find a jug made earlier than the first few years of the eighteenth century. Early examples are in the pyriform shape, with a scrolled handle, sometimes positioned at a right-angle to the lip or spout. Diminutive cream jugs, standing no more than three inches high, were generally left undecorated, though others might have two rows of moulding at their waist. Both were made of a thick gauge metal and were weighty, despite their small size. In time the jug became more general, hammered up from the flat, with the cast spout and handle now opposite each other, standing upon a spreading moulded foot, and still with attractive scroll handles. (more…)

Few basic changes have been made to the salt cellar since the eighteenth century, and even those produced today in sterling silver or electro-plate are usually exact, or very close, copies of their predecessors. From time to time, of course, designers have endeavoured to break away from

established forms, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, has a superb Art Nouveau specimen in parcel-gilt by C. R. Ashbee which incorporates amber and a small figure, the latter being characteristic of Ashbee’s work, but this ‘salt‘ would be considered too ornate for general use. An interesting example of 1866 by Stephen Smith was of frosted silver with figures of sowers and men carrying baskets of seeds upon their backs. (more…)

DECANTERS

Whenever I see a row of decanters in an antique shop I wonder how long it will be before there is a rush to buy them up. I know that many of these are quite ordinary, very cheap affairs, turned out by the hundred thousand in the last fifty years; all the same there are many fineones among them, and not at all dear in comparison with other glass.

It would be an interesting thing indeed to make a collection of decanters which showed their development in colour and in shape through the years, the different sorts of processes they were made in, also the different kinds of decanters used for different purposes. For me the obvious way to arrange these would be on open shelves against the light—but before one makes up one’s mind about that it might be as well to look and see what sort of decanters one can find. (more…)