Antique silver sauce ladles, Robert Stebbings, London 1890

• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
• Sterling Silver - Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and the addition of the very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
• Old English Pattern - The Old English pattern as is commonly seen on silver flatware is characterized by a simple, clean shape with a slightly upturned tip and a broad handle that tapers gently towards the bowl or blade. The handle may be plain or decorated with a subtle design, such as a line or ridge along the edge or a small decorative motif at the tip. This pattern was first introduced in the 18th century and has remained popular ever since, making it a popular choice for traditional and formal table settings.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• ladles, sauce - silver items 320
• silver cutlery / flatware, patterns - Old English pattern 511