George III Sterling Silver Sugar Nips, London, circa 1770s

A pair of George III sterling silver sugar nips, circa: 1770s…
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A pair of George III sterling silver sugar nips, circa: 1770s London, with maker's mark for Stephen Adams I, the scissor action nips with cast shell form bowls, scroll motifs to the arms, and thumb spurs to the finger rings, marked twice to rings with no date letter. Weight 32g length 12.5 cm

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  • 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.
  • Scallop / Shell Motif - The shell motif has been used in furniture and decorative arts for centuries. In ancient Greece and Rome, shells were often used as decorative elements on furniture and in mosaics. The scallop or cockleshell are the most commonly used. During the Renaissance, the shell motif became popular in furniture and architecture, as the ornate decoration was seen as a symbol of wealth and luxury. In the 18th century, the Rococo style of furniture and decorative arts featured an abundance of shell motifs, and it was used by Thomas Chippendale and as a feature on Queen Anne style cabriole legs. In the 19th century, the shell motif was incorporated into Victorian furniture and decorative items, and often a representation of the the conch shell was inlaid into furniture.

  • Date Letter on Silver - A date letter is a letter or symbol that is used to mark silver and other precious metals to indicate the year in which the piece was made. The date letter system is used by the British hallmarking system and it is a way to verify that a piece of silver is genuine and has been assayed (tested) by an official assay office.

    The date letter system has been in use since the 14th century and it changes every year, so it is possible to identify the year in which a piece of silver was made by looking at the date letter. The date letter is usually stamped alongside other hallmarks such as the maker's mark, and the standard mark (indicating the fineness of the metal) on the silver piece. The style of the letters varies depending on the assay office, and the style of the lettering also changes over time. The date letter is usually placed inside a shield shape, sometimes accompanied by other symbols.

    The date letter system is not used in all countries, so if a piece of silver does not have a date letter, it does not necessarily mean it is not authentic. The date letter system is not always used for small or insignificant silver items.
  • 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.

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