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Description
Tipstaffs have been used from the 14th century and comprise of a crown tipped piece of wood which were carried by officers of the court such as bailiffs or constables. The tipstaff was used to show the holder had been authorized with the power of the monarch to question, search, arrest, etc. This part of the job was often dangerous and tipstaffs were also used as defensive weapons. Most tipstaffs were made of wood and/or brass, sterling silver examples from the reign of William IV are rare and hard to find especially in such good condition.
The high quality of this fantastic tipstaff with its detailed thick and heavy sterling silver top meant it was most likely used by the officers of one of the higher courts of the land, the tipstaff with an engraved scrolling plaque below silver rope twist and beadwork decorations with a band of alternating circles and diamonds, above is an openwork crown with fleur-de-lys and further beadwork decorating the arches, above is a fabulous high openwork ball and 3-D cross finial, the handle is made of very smooth, polished ebony-a great and rare opportunity to own a piece of near 200 year old legal history! The tipstaff has full English hallmarks with maker's mark 'IL HL CL' for the renowned silversmith family of John, Henry and Charles Lias (established 1791), the lion passant for sterling silver, the London leopard's head, date letter 'r' for 1832 and William IV's profile.
The tipstaff measures approximately 10 1/2 inches long, the silver area is about 5 1/4 inches long. The tipstaff weighs around 9.6 ounces (274 grams).
The tipstaff is in generally excellent condition with all over wear and no damage or repairs noted. Please check all the pictures.
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TERMS OF SALE & RETURNS
We make great efforts to honestly and accurately describe each item we list. We back this up with many photographs, all with a close-up zoom option for detailed inspection. Due to the majority of our items being antique/vintage and often unique it can be difficult to determine age and as such all our items are sold 'as is'. However, if we are not certain about the age of an item we will either not mention an age or say the item is being sold as a later or modern piece and then leave it up to more experienced buyers to determine the exact age. Items are not returnable if it was not of the age/value you were hoping it to be with no exceptions. If we place a date on an item we guarantee it to be of that period or earlier. If you require further pictures or more information about an item, please let us know prior to bidding or purchase. Items cannot be returned for any condition issues either shown in the pictures or mentioned in the listing. As many items we sell are one hundred years or older we will not accept returns for wear consistent with the item's age. Any item mentioned as sold 'as is' in the listing will not be eligible for any form of return or refund. If it is determined an item is eligible for a return, the item must be shipped back within 48 hours, insured and tracked. A restocking fee may apply. We are very easy to work with and welcome any and many questions during our listings, so please let us know if you have one! Thanks again for looking!
