Victorian pair sterling silver peppers in the shape of hooves by e h stockwell. london 1877.

Innovative pair of VICTORIAN sterling silver peppers in the shape of hooves.
Maker: E H Stockwell. London 1877.The clear set of hallmarks is stamped beneath the hock of both peppers and the registration mark is stamped on the inside of the base of the hoof. The piece above the hock has engraving on the top in order that the pepper can be shaken out. The engraving on one of the shakers has a slight error so that the branch leading to the hole is engraved twice. This can be seen clearly on one of the images and does not affect the flow of the pepper.
The makers mark is stamped above the hallmarks.
In order to fill both these peppers there is a pull off top with a long gilded flange which are both hallmarked with the lion passant and the date on one side and makers mark on the other. The rest of the cavity is also gilded.
In the latter part of the Victorian era it was increasingly popular to display every day objects in a more novel and amusing manner. Edward H Stockwell was a master at producing these and in 1869 he was listed as an ornamental metal worker and in 1894 as a an ornamental gold, silver and metal manufacturer. The Directory of Gold & Silversmith by John Culme states that in 1876 he was awarded a competition prize £25 by the Goldsmiths Company for a design for a presentation casket.
Included in the pictures is a copy of the Patent Office Design Registry 1877.Height: 3 inches (7.6cm)
Width of hoof: 1.2 inches (3cm
Weight: 4.75 troy ounces (148 grams) pair