Antique silver-plated tea set

Antique silver-plated tea set

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A Victorian silver-plated tea service with wonderful quality hand engraving. The set comprises a teapot, cream jug and sugar bowl. The teapot has a flush hinge, which is an indication of superior quality, and an insulated handle. The overall quality of workmanship on this set is more commonly seen on a solid silver service.

Elkington used a series of letter stamps to show which year his plated wares were made - this set bears the letters S and T for 1878 and 1879.

Elkington held Royal Warrants for Queen Victoria, King Edward VI, King George V, King Edward VIII and King George VI.

Elkington & Co. are one of the most important names in English silver and certainly the most important in silver plate. They began life in Birmingham as a company of silversmiths in 1836, and experimented with improving gilding techniques. By 1838 they had discovered and patented a new way to electroplate one metal on to the surface of another. By 1840 production was already underway with silver electroplated wares. The company received financial backing from Josiah Mason in 1842 (renaming the firm Elkington, Mason & Co between 1842 and 1861) and was extremely successful. It introduced electrotyping as a new method of production for silver plated items. Elkington & Co exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 with enormous success.

Dimensions:

Height 155 mm / 6 "
Depth 295 mm / 12"
Year

1878 & 1879

Place

Birmingham

Condition

Excellent

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