Elegant Pair of Old Antique Sheffield Silver Plated Wine Bottle Coasters by Martin Hall & Co Circa 1860.
Very Attractive scalloped detailed edges.
No Monogram in the cartouche.
In very good pre-loved and used antique condition. The wooden bases are slightly watermarked. The silver plate insert to the wooden centres has slightly oxidised. There is a yellow stain which appears to jaggedly go down each coaster on both sides (internally is worse than externally), possibly a seam, I think this could be a reaction with being damp. I’m not sure if this will polish out, I have attached photos. There is some internal plate loss to the inner rims where bottles (possibly damp) have been against the edges. There is a very small ding to the side of one, which gets lost amongst the decoration (I missed it on the first two checks).
Sizes approximately:
Height: 3" (7.5cm)
Diameter at top: 6" (15cm)
Diameter at base: 5 & 1/2" (14cm)
In an unpolished condition. I have given it a quick wipe over, but as with all my items I don't over clean or polish, as some customers, especially prop buyers, prefer an original patina. So I leave the decision to polish to you. Due to age there may be the odd age related wear/mark.
Please see all photos using the zoom function available, as they constitute the item description.
Please note where possible packaging is recycled. I only ship internationally via eBay’s GSP service, as the U.K. does not provide a fully tracked service.
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If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me.
About Martin Hall & Co:
The origin of the firm is in the partnership established in 1820 in Sheffield by Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts who traded as Wilkinson & Roberts. Wilkinson left the business in 1836 and in 1846 John Roberts entered in partnership with Ebenezer Hall (his apprentice in 1836) under the style Roberts & Hall.
In 1854 entered into the partnership Richard Martin (of Martin Brothers & Naylor) and Joshua Hall (brother of Ebenezer Hall) under the style Martin, Hall & Co. In 1866 the firm was converted into a Ltd.
The factory was active at Shrewsbury Works, Broad Street Park, Sheffield with showrooms in London (where they were listed as manufacturing silversmiths and electroplated manufacturers, silver, plated and steel cutlers), Sydney, Birmingham and Glasgow.
The firm participated to the 1851 Great Exhibition, the Internation Exhibition (1862), the Sydney Exhibition (1879), the Melboune Exhibition (1881) and the 1915 British Industries Fair.
Besides its sterling silver and electroplated items the firm had a successful cheap line of production on a patented white metal called "Martinoid".
Items made by Martin, Hall & Co were retailed by Wordley & Co - Liverpool, Ball & Edwards - Birmingham, Henry Ellis & Son - Exeter, Charles Nephew & Co - Calcutta, West & Son - Dublin, Goldsmiths Alliance Ltd - Cornhill, Pearce & Co - Leeds, Mappin Brothers - London, George Edward & Sons - Glasgow, James Aitchinson - Edinburgh, Mackay & Chisholm - Edinburgh and many other firms.
After WWI and a brief association of interests with Gladwin Ltd the firm went in liquidation and was struck off the register in 1936 (according to another source the business was sold to Frank Cobb & Co in 1931/1932).
CHRONOLOGY:
Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts (1820)
John Roberts (1836)
Roberts & Hall ( 1846)
Martin Hall & Co (1854)
Martin Hall & Co Ltd (1866-1936)