Summary: This beautiful sterling silver teaspoons is a true work of art, with intricate chased patterns and an unmistakable art deco style. Retailed and packed by Frank Hallett, and crafted by master silversmiths of the company Charles William Fletcher & Sons, these teaspoons are a piece of history, dating back to 1931. Made of high-quality .925 silver, these teaspoons are a valuable addition to any collection of antique silverware. Its elegant design and fine craftsmanship make it a true treasure, and are a testament to the legacy of the long line of silversmiths from Charles William Fletcher to Nicholas Bartholomew of 1550.
Condition: The case of the teaspoons remains in relatively well condition, with some leather damage, and a broken hinge of the opening and closing mechanism. The button triggered opening and locking system remains functional. The spoons remain in high quality, with no structural damage (dents, missing pieces, etc). One of the spoons however has a rust like stain in the inside, which can be cleaned. The gilt of the inner spoon is fading away. With a proper polish job, these spoons can be brought back to a beautiful shine!
Dimensions:
Red Case: 275 grams (with all spoons inside): L: 6.2 in, W: 5.0 in, H: 0.8 in.
Individual teaspoon: 11 grams: L: 4.4 in, W: 0.7 in, H: 0.3 in.
History:
Frank Hallett by the existence of this antique silver spoon set, bought silvers from Charles William Fletcher & Sons within the time range of 1931-2, as Frank Hallett registers his mark in 1924 for silvers, and the Sheffield markings for 1931 exist on the spoons of Charles William Fletcher & Sons (ref. 9). Because Frank Hallett is said to be a stockist for the Oneida company in 1914 for the UK, it is likely that Frank Hallett and Co retailed this silver set, which was manufactured by Charles William Fletcher & Sons. We know that by the markings, that the Sheffileld mark for 1931 is present, while we know that Frank Hallett registered his mark in 1924. Because of leetimes and 20th century supply chains/trade routes, these silver spoons could have been in Frank Halletts inventory for years after 1931.
Frank Hallett and Co.: Frank Hallett is a retailer of jewelry, medals and accessories (ref. 3), who owns a retail property at 10 Bridge Street Warrington, Cherise. A picture of the shop can be seen in reference 1, to understand the scale of the operation. The only background information I am able to obtain about Frank Hallett pertains to his operations within the Oneida company (Ltd), as one of the many stockists (retailer in this case) of the United Kingdom for the New York based firm. Other information exists upon his registration in Chester in May of 1924 for his silver hallmark which is "FH" as on 'fob metal' (ref. 4). The only other item I'm able to find on the internet which bears his name that has been sold with pictures, is seen in reference 2 (a brass carriage clock), without the hallmark but with the "F. Hallett" markings as visible on the case above. Frank Hallett's name is present on a list of stockists for the United Kingdom by 1914 within the Oneida Company (ref. 5). Onedia advertises more than often it's 'community wares', which pertain to its history as a silver community originating in 1848 within Onedia, New York, which forms into a joint stock company in 1880 by a man whose name is John Humphrey Noyes (ref. 5 & 6). By the nature of Oneida's advertisements seen on reference 5, I speculate that the company targets retailers primary, and structures as a centralized operation (not vertical) with wholesale and manufacturing capabilities able to skim the market with cheaper goods (somewhat forcing independent retailers and manufactures to band together as to compete, a pattern noticeable throughout the history of corporations and pro-profit operations sadly). To quote some of Oneida's advertisements throughout the 1910s-1920s: "sales are soaring", "the retailer who co-operates with us is going to have a successful table-silver year", "You carry it because it sells", etc(ref. 5). Specifically, the advertisement: "the retailer who co-operates with us is going to have a successful table-silver year", suggests this organizational structure in place (ref. 5). The likelihood exists that Oneida too sold to consumers directly, which would allow them more competitive pricing strategies, as other advertisements seem to target a female consumer base (ref. 5). With a large list of stockists in Europe and America, and with capital rich stockholders, the company was likely able to leverage capital as to both competitively price their goods while providing decent quality silvers (at the expense of the maximized opportunity costs of the stockists and manufactures, and their competitors outside the company) (ref. 5). The company's productions of flatware and silverware exist under the community plate segment. In 1935, the company changes its name to Oneida LTD, perhaps a result of the October stock crash of 1929 (start of the great depression). Today it is one of world's largest designers and sellers of stainless steel and silver plate cutlery and tableware for the consumer and food service industries, which exists under the brand of Lenox (by June 4th, 2021) (ref. 6 & 7).
Charles William Fletcher & Sons: As a son of a highway laborer (pertaining to carriages), Charles William Fletcher had little connections to the silver industry or trade (ref. 11). Before 1891, Charles William Fletcher is the apprentice as a silver hand forger to William Gallimore (ref. 11). By 1891, Charles William Fletcher set up shop as a silver forger supplying blanks to local silversmiths after assay (ref. 10 & 11). On may 8th, 1894, Charles registers a silver mark from an address in Arundel Street, and by 1899 leases (eventually buying for £707) a sterling silver factory operation by the name of Sterling Works (more memories of Sheffield, 1998) near the area of Bramhall Lane, Sheffield (ref. 11, 13, & 16). The mark Charles registers is the "C.W.F" hallmark with the Sheffield assay office (ref. 13). By this time, his firm is: "Charles William Fletcher". Charles, after buying the Sterling factory (dubbed Sterling Works) of Henry Holdsworth, is seemingly eager to scale his operation, and by 1907, he acquires a silversmith and cutler firm in London by the name of Brewis and Co (ref. 10 & 11). W.H. Brewis and Co. date back to a line of silversmiths and apprentices of the 16th century, starting (withstanding future historical discoveries) with a man by the name of Nicholas Bartholomew whose works are present by 1550 (ref. 14). A list of the apprentices and silversmith line starting with Nicholas Bartholomow can be found in reference 15. By 1908, Fletcher registers the company as a private limited company (with capital of £15,000), with himself and his sons: Charles Walter, Harold, and William Frederick Fletcher as subscribers (ref. 11). With the registration of the private limited company, the firm name changes to "Charles William Fletcher & Sons". Also in 1908, the company moves to Arundel Street, Sheffield, and starts to produce more than blanks (being the final silver products or cutlery) (ref. 10 & 11). By 1911, the company registers the mark "C.W.F" with the London assay office, and in 1914 registers the mark "CWF"(ref. 16). The London marks are seemingly within the London assay office to mark control of the silverwares coming from the old workshops of Brewis and Co (ref. 13). I speculate that both "CWF" and "C.W.F" are present within the London registery due to the fear of consumers not being able to recongize the companies brand. With the successes of the acquisitions and expansions, the company decides in 1918 to relocate the original sterling factory of Henry Holdsworth (dubbed Sterling Works) to the area of Lockwood at 76 Arundel Street, Sheffield (see reference 16 to see the location today) (ref. 11). An advertisment in 1919 claims the operations of the comapny pertain to "silversmiths, cutlers, electroplate, and fruit knife manufactuers", offering goods such as: "Tea, and Coffee Sets, Kettles, Trays, Waiters, Jugs, Flower Stands, Cake Baskets, Fruit Stands, Vases, Cruets, Spoons, Forks, Fish and Fruit Knifes and Forks in cases, Child Sets, Jams, Butters, Cabinets, Canteens, Table Cutlery, Pocket Fruit Knives, and other kinds of Goods in Hollow-ware, for table decoration, inlcuding Flatwares." (ref. 11). In the British Industries Fair of 1922, run by the department of overseas trade, the company is under the exhibitor list on stand no. E. 46, and manufacturers “silver and electroplate challenge trophies, tableware, Britannia metal ware, canteens, spoons, forks, stainless cutlery, pocket fruit knives" (ref. 10). On the 26th of January, 1932, at an age of 66, Charles William Fletcher dies from heart failure and left in his financial will £9,726 (ref. 11). The sons of Charles Willliam Fletcher (Charles Walter, Harold (?), and William Frederick Fletcher) continue the company but are met with the challenge of the second world war (ref. 11). By 1939, operations at the company cease due to the workers responding to the government's demand or call for the war effort (ref. 10 & 11). As a result of the loss of companies and the rapid change of markets, the company diversifies and becomes/focuses on being a producer of engineering/aerospace components, which eventually maintains the company in later years (ref. 11). With the transitions taking place, the company won orders from Rolls-Royce to produce parts of the Merlin Engine(ref. 10). The company would also win contracts and requisitions for the development of precession and fabrications for aircraft engines (ref. 10). With the successfully entry into the engineering and aerospace market, the company reaps the increasing demands of the 1950s as technological innovations begin to amount (with the governments of the world learning the paramount lessons of the second world war, and constantly investing in innovative technologies (the semiconductors for example are the result of the American government through the development of guided missiles, hence computers get their origins from missiles!)) (ref. 10). Driven by profits, the company again expands to occupy a large machining shop on Leadmill Street, Sheffield (ref. 10). Later on, the company through Ron Fletcher responds to the British Nuclear Fuels company in manufacturing reactor components (ref. 10). The company ends up manufacturing the square tubes which hold the nuclear fuel rods of the Hartwell nuclear plant of England (the first reactor built) (ref. 10 & 17). By 1971, Rolls-Royce went into liquidation and results in Charles William Fletcher & Sons experiencing economic hardship due to the relationship between the firms (ref. 10). The company through their nuclear ties, brings back the firm by expanding operations into the nuclear decommissioning industry and securing strong ties with the British nuclear fuels company (now known as Sellafield ltd.) (ref. 10 & 17). By the 100th anniversary of the company, the board includes Ron (Harold's son), and Eric (William's son), employing over eighty persons (Quality, Dec-Jan, 1991-2), (ref. 10). When the silver industry experiences consolidation towards a monopolistic (early stages of oligarchies) competitive environment in the late 20th and early 21st century (with Lenox acquiring most big names, and Garrards acquiring the legacies of Bernard's company), the company sold their silversmith firm to James Robinson Inc in April of 2002, which then forms Fletcher Robinson Ltd, supplying quality handmade flatewares at the address in Lambert Street (ref. 8, 10, & 14). James Robinson bought the company to protect the methods of smithery of silver which Fletcher's company brought from their long line of heritage in apprentices and masters (ref. 14). According to Fletcher Robinson Ltd's website, the company since its start remains true to the ways of hand-forging despite the methods of mass-producing flatware present in the early 19th century (ref. 14). The reasons the company remains true to hand-forging is due to differences in quality and durability which differ due to manufacturing process differentiations (at a higher cost however) (ref. 14). The company allows for custom jobs to be done, and can make differing shapes, sizes, and weights of traditional patterns for any customer's needs. They seemingly also might offer reproduction jobs as they incorporate "crests, logos or any other type of decoration" (ref. 14). Fletcher-Robinson Ltd is one of the last English-American companies to produce silver cutlery and flatware by hand with the skills of over 400 years of mastery (ref. 15). A most interesting video of the processes exists in reference 15, which allows for us to see how these goods are made (ref. 15).
Uniqueness: This sterling silver teaspoon set is unique for two main reasons: firstly because of the two companies involved being F. Hallett Co (retailer), and Charles Williams Fletcher & Sons (Manufacturer), and because of its overall simplicity in art deco design.
Important: Offering free shipping, a 30-day return period, and open to negotiations on matters of price. Please reach out to me if you're interested in receiving more information or photos of the antique. Shipments will be sent out upon payments. Measurements can be rough and of human error, if you'd like a re-measurement for clarity purposes please message me. IMPORTANT: Please make sure the right address is sent to me, I will verify this in an email before I ship to you.
References:
1.https://www.pugh-auctions.com/property/26419
2.https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/batemans-auctioneers-and-valuers/catalogue-id-2759851/lot-6427315
3.https://www.marks4antiques.com/silversmiths_makers_marks.htm
4.https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Makers/Chester-F.html
5.https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=197142&hilit=Hallett#p197142
6.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_Limited
7.https://www.oneida.com/ - their website.
8.https://businessofhome.com/articles/lenox-acquires-oneida
9.https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Dates/Sheffield.html
10.https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/C._W._Fletcher_and_Sons
11.https://hawleysheffieldknives.com/n-fulldetails.php?val=f&kel=831
13.https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14790&start=80
14.https://fletcher-robinson.co.uk/
15.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LASeoUv9vA
16.https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86712540#/?channel=RES_BUY
17:https://www.cwfletcher.co.uk/