1696 London Hallmarked William III Sterling Silver Porringer
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Large William III sterling silver porringer, hallmarked London, 1696, I.D and dagger, of bell form, with folded lip above a pair of s-scroll handles, above a frieze of alternating acorns and fleur-de-lis, above a fluted gadrooned base, on circular foot, total weight 277gm, height 9.7 cm and diameter 18.5 cm (handle to handle). Provenance: The Estate of Dr & Mrs Thomas Tidswell
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- Fleur-De-Lis - The fleur-de-lis is a stylized lily or iris flower with
three petals that has been used as a decorative motif for thousands of years. It
often appears in Christian iconography symbolising the Holy Trinity and as an
emblem that reflects the purity of the Virgin Mary. In decorative art and antiques
decoration, the fleur-de-lis is often used as a symbol of elegance, refinement,
and good taste.
The fleur-de-lis has a rich history and in ancient times, it
was associated with royalty, purity, and the divine, and it was used as a
symbol of the French monarchy for many centuries.
It is a common design element in ceramics, silverware, jewellery,
furniture, and other decorative objects, and it can be found in many different
styles and forms. - 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. - 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.
- Frieze - An architectural term denoting the flat, shaped or convex horizontal surface of furniture, between the architrave and the cornice, usually found on a cabinet or bookcase, or on desks and tables where it may include drawers, the area between the top and the legs. In ceramics, the term refers to the banding, of usually a repeating pattern, on the rims of plates and vases.
- Gadrooning - A series of lobes usually as a border. In furniture gadrooning is found as carved decoration around the edges of table tops in the Chippendale and Jacobean style furniture. Gadrooning is also found as decoration on the rims of silver and ceramics.
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