George III Sterling Silver Nutmeg Grater with Engraved Crest
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George III sterling silver nutmeg grater, hallmarked, York, 1812-16, James Barber and William Whitewell, of cylindrical form, with engraved dragon and coronet crest for Clifford to cover, the cover and side hinged to reveal rectangular grater, together with two 1811 York coins, total weight 55gm and 61gm (with coins), height 6 cm catalogue note: marks incomplete. The partnership between Barber and Whitehall lasted from 1812 to 1841. Barber was the Lord Mayor of York during 1833. The assay office was granted title in 1411, during most of the 18th century (1717-1780) the office was closed. It was open until 1858 when it was finally closed due to irregularities. Provenance: collection of the late Fredric Sinfield, Sydney NSW, 1938 - 2008
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- Assay / Assayed - Assaying is the testing of a metal, most commonly silver and gold to determine its ingredients and quality. In Britain, once an item of silver or gold has been assayed, a mark is stamped on it, certifying its purity. Known as hallmark, it derives its name from the Guild Hall of the Goldsmiths' Company, who recieved its Charter in 1327 giving it the power to assay and mark articles of gold and silver.
- Engraving - The method of decorating or creating inscriptions on silver and other metal objects by marking the surface with a sharp instrument such as a diamond point or rotating cutting wheel.
- Hallmarks - A mark stamped on articles of precious metals in Britain, since the 14th century, certifying their purity. It derives its name from the Guild Hall of the Goldsmiths' Company, who recieved its Charter in 1327 giving it the power to assay (test the purity) and mark articles of gold and silver.
The hallmark will consist of several marks, including the:
- silver standard mark, indicating the purity of the metal. Sterling silver is .925 pure silver.
- the city mark indicating the city in which it was assayed eg London, Birmingham, York etc.
- the date mark, usually a letter of the alphabet in a particular font and case,
- a duty mark, indicating whether duty had been paid to the crown, and only in use from 1784 to 1890
The piece may include an additional mark, the maker's mark, although not forming part of the hallmark, will be located in the vicinity of the hallmarks.
Sometimes silver plated items will bear faux hallmarks, often confusing those not familiar with silver markings. - George Iii - George III (1738 - 1820) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 to 1820.
- 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.
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