Pair of Dutch figural silver peppers

Appealing pair of Dutch silver figural pepper pots, realistically modelled as a Dutch boy and girl in traditional costumes and in excellent condition. The clog bases are removable to enable the peppers to be refilled.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries there was a high tax on luxury goods, but if an item could be classified as a useful piece it could be brought into the country without duty. The hallmark for this Dutch couple shows that the pair were imported and assayed in 1910 in London.

A large quantity of German and Dutch silver was made for export to England. These pieces were additionally hallmarked with sterling silver marks, proving that the silver content is 925 sterling and higher than the 800 standard required by German law. Neresheimer & Co, for instance, enjoyed a long and successful business relation with Berthold Müller, agent in London and Chester, and their pieces are always hallmarked with English import marks (lion rampant, 925 sterling silver).