Antique Arts & Crafts Britannia Silver Loving Cup
London 1916 - 333.2g / 10.71ozt
~Welcome to my auction for this fine quality Britannia grade silver loving cup~
Before I launch into a description of this item, I'll declare from the outset that there are some cosmetic issues with this item - structurally its in good sound condition (no dents, holes or splits), but it requires some work to the hammered surface by a good silversmith.
Don't be put off by this, there are many positive points about the item!
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The item offered is a beautiful early 20th century solid silver loving cup - the item carries full British hallmarks for London 1916, with the makers mark for the respected silversmiths, Carrington & Co.
Carrington & Co were based in Regent Street, London, and they obtained Royal warrants from Queen Victoria, Edward VII, George V and the Russian Czars - such was the quality of their work, it was retailed by Tiffany & Co and Cartier.
The underside of the cup is also stamped with a retailers stamp, and a number which is probably is pattern number or job code.
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What's notable about the hallmark is that it tells us the that the item has been made in Britannia silver, which has purity grade higher than Sterling silver - Sterling silver is 925 parts pure silver per 1000 parts, and Britannia silver is 958 parts pure silver per 1000 parts.
Britannia silver is not rare per se, but it is certainly more unusual to find than Sterling, particularly on items like this.
In keeping with the Arts & Crafts manner, the whole piece has a hammered or planished surface - two applied scroll handles complete the piece.
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The cup is a generous size and weight, the dimensions are:
Width across rim: 9.2cm
Width across handles: 16cm
Height: 8.5cm
Weight: 333.2g / 10.71 troy ounces.
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As alluded to in the first paragraph, there are some cosmetic issues with this item that will require some attention from a good silversmith, if you're looking for perfection.
As can be seen in pictures 6,8,10 and 11, there is a loss in patina to the hammered surface, and there are lighter areas to the surface of the silver.
My theory is that there was once an inscription or monogram on the item, and this has subsequently been erased by way of polishing.
In doing so, the hammered surface has somewhat been smoothed over in places, and it has 'broken the fireskin' hence the mottled appearance.
This is more noticeable to one side, and presumably this only engraved to one side.
Any large dark areas you can see in the main image are merely reflections.
It must be pointed out that this work was carried out long before I obtained the piece, and I've not attempted any work on it.
In order to put this back to its original appearance, a silversmith with need to heat the piece to anneal the item, and then reapply the planished surface.
You'd need a good silversmith to carry out this work, perhaps someone familiar with working on Arts & Crafts pieces, and most certainly not your average high street jeweller.
I made some tentative enquiries a long time ago about having the work done, and it seems to be a viable option.
I've deliberately angled the cup in some of the pictures so you can exactly what you're getting, but the reality is that the mottling is not as noticeable as this pictures portray.
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Despite the above mentioned issues, the positives of the item are plentiful:
1. It's a well constructed piece free from dents, splits and holes.
2. At over 10 troy ounces, it has an excellent weight, plus it's made from a higher grade silver than sterling.
3. It's an excellent and well respected maker, with good connections in the world of fine silver.
4. It displays well and can be used if desired.
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Please study the images provided to satisfy yourself as to the condition of the item offered - if you have any further questions, please ask!
P&P to U.K. addresses is £9.99 (special delivery) - P&P to international addresses is £17.95 (tracked / signed for mail).
Thanks for looking!