GEORGE III Newcastle Sterling Silver Swing-Handled Sweetmeat Basket.
GEORGE III Newcastle Sterling Silver Swing-Handled Sweetmeat Basket.
Elegant and rare GEORGE III Newcastle sterling silver swing-handled sweetmeat basket of good weight.
Maker: John Robertson. Newcastle circa 1797.
This basket stands on a collet foot with a band of reeding on the base. The rim of the basket is also reeded followed below by four varying bands of bright-cut engraving. Underneath the engraving is an attractive pierced band of acanthus leaves follwed by three delicate bands of bright-cutting. Matching reeding is also found on the swing handle.
A contemporary two letter monogram is engraved on the end of one side of the baskets body.
The set of hallmarks is clearly stamped on the underside of the foot and the slightly rubbed lion passant is stamped on the outside of the handle. The stamping of the date mark has been missed but from the shape of the Kings Head and the death of the maker in 1801 it is possible to date this piece circa 1797.
This basket is considered rare because it was assayed in Newcastle which had a much smaller throughput than London or Sheffield.
Length: 7 inches (17.8cm)
Width: 5.5 inches (10.2cm)
Height: 2 inches (5cm)
Weight: 7 troy ounces (217.7 grams)
1797
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
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Width: 5.5 inches (10.2cm)Height: 2 inches (5cm)Weight: 7 troy ounces (217.7 grams)){kind=link}