Sterling Silver Sugar Nips, London and Newcastle, 1804-1825
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- 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.
- Hallmarks - A mark stamped on articles of precious metals in Britain, since the 14th century, certifying their purity. It derives its name from the Guild Hall of the Goldsmiths' Company, who recieved its Charter in 1327 giving it the power to assay (test the purity) and mark articles of gold and silver.
The hallmark will consist of several marks, including the:
- silver standard mark, indicating the purity of the metal. Sterling silver is .925 pure silver.
- the city mark indicating the city in which it was assayed eg London, Birmingham, York etc.
- the date mark, usually a letter of the alphabet in a particular font and case,
- a duty mark, indicating whether duty had been paid to the crown, and only in use from 1784 to 1890
The piece may include an additional mark, the maker's mark, although not forming part of the hallmark, will be located in the vicinity of the hallmarks.
Sometimes silver plated items will bear faux hallmarks, often confusing those not familiar with silver markings.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
Two pairs of sterling silver sugar tongs, 18th century, with silver standard and maker's mark, It, a pair of bright cut nips with flower embellished bowls; and 1910 Chester, with maker's marks for Barker Bros, a small unadorned pair of nips, hallmarked to
Two pairs of Georgian sterling silver sugar nips, 1823/24 London, with maker's marks for Thomas Dicks, and; 1821/22 London, with maker's marks for Edward Farrell, the fiddle pattern pair hallmarked to interiors of stems, silver weight 86gr, length 14.5 cm
Two pairs of sterling silver sugar tongs, 1810 London with maker's marks for probably Thomas Shekelton, and the other marked Germany, 925 sterling silver, the simple unadorned pair, one with pointed bowls, the other with swollen cushion profile arms and ov
Three pairs of silver sugar tongs, George III and Edwardian. (3)