William IV Sterling Silver Dessert Forks, London 1830
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. - William Iv - William IV was King of the United Kingdom and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837, and in English furniture design it represented the brief period between the end of the Regency period, and the beginning of the Victorian period.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
Set of six George III sterling silver table forks, hallmarked London, 1807, Eley fern & Chawner, in fiddle and thread pattern, with monogram, total weight 511 grams (6)
Set of six Edwardian sterling silver dessert forks, hallmarked London, 1916, Donald Fraser, in fiddle pattern, total weight 308grams (6)
Set of eleven Victorian sterling silver entree forks, hallmarked, London, 1846, George William Adams of Chauner & Co, engraved with crest and coronet for Count Montemerli Sandonini, total weight 616gm, (11)
A George III and later silver cutlery service, most by Richard Crossley, London 1800's (various Dates), comprising of 12 large spoons, 12 dessert spoons, 12 tea spoons, 12 large forks, 12 small forks, together with 14 large knives, 14 small knives, various