HISTORY
Another "special" item that we have been requested to seek a new home for by our extended family.
Why special?
Unlike most of the Silverware we have had or been asked to find new homes for, this piece is NOT Silverplate but in fact this is Hallmarked Silverware from Chester City, ENGLAND
The Silversmith's were Stokes & Ireland, the company was registered in 1890 and they are well known amongst the many Silversmith's of the day in England.
The metal is Sterling Silver, with a purity of .925, being a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver, which this not, is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and not as durable as Sterling. By the addition of a very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
Let's down to the description ...
STOKES & IRELAND - Mustard Pot
The business was registered in Chester City but they manufactured in Birmingham
Circa 1902 *** see my notes below when I talk about the enigma of the date marking and the photograph of the Chester City date stamps
Sterling Silver (925)
Mustard Pot has the original Royal Blue - Purple (Pantone 138 & 148) glass liner inside (this is easily removable) *** please read my comments about this glass liner below.
NO mustard spoon is provided - apparently it had long since disappeared!
HALLMARKS
Three hallmarks have been stamped into this pot, two groups being on the side, near the handle, and another stamp is on the underside of the lid.
The two groups of hallmarks on the side of the pot are:
Hallmark 1: Absolutely 100% confirms the maker as Stokes & Ireland
Hallmark 2: Three elements to this Sterling hallmark ...
Mark 1: Lion Passant (this confirms that the metal used is .925 Silver)
Mark 2: The central stamp is the mark for the city of Chester, England (this mark was consistently used from 1701 ~ 1962)
Mark 3: The date mark (Gothic capitalized B)
The markings used by English Silversmith's were consistent and have readily identifiable stamps but this year mark created a small enigma for me while I was researching this Mustard Pot.
*** Here is an enigma!
I have trawled through many date charts relating to Silversmiths in Chester (and also Birmingham) and this date stamp "looks" exactly like the 1727 stamp! The B being on a slight slope and the more "curly" formation of the character B in comparison to the 1902 version. HOWEVER, this just cannot be, because Stokes & Ireland began their operations in 1890, some 160 years after 1727! To be frank, I have no answer for this ... it doesn't make sense, take a look at the date chart to see what I mean.
Looking at the design of this mustard pot (and there were period differences over the years) I am quite sure this is an early 20th Century product, not a product from the 18th Century! The overall design is simple, not overtly ornate, and looks very similar to other pots from the early 20th Century and 1902 fits nicely with the company history.
The single group of two stamps on the underside of the lid are very difficult to read, the stamping being much lighter (I am guessing so that the stamp would not show on the topside of the lid)
To me, these look to be the Lion Passant and another B date stamp
POT DIMENSIONS:
51mm diameter but with a small flange around the base and lid area, decorated with 3 simple rings around the base and top rim of the pot. This base flange provides stability and extends the diameter of the pot to 55mm
Height (excluding the top knob) is 49mm, or 60.25mm if the knob height is included
Single pin hinge
Simple loop style handle of ample proportions, extending out from the side of the pot 28mm, plenty of room for most fingers!
The top knob seems to be made as part of the lid i.e there is no screw or other signs of a join on the underside of the lid
BLUE-PURPLE Glass Liner Insert
No seams or joins apparent, with the sides being smooth 3.4mm thick glass but the base is rough, as though it has been sand moulded.
Insert measures 50.7mm diameter x 39.75mm height
Straight sides
This glass inserted liner is a comfortable, but not tight, fit inside the Sterling Silver mustard pot - although the fit is slightly tighter at the moment due to the clear plastic I have added around the glass liner to protect from further damage AND to keep from having one's fingers cut if tempted to rub the finger around it!
WEIGHTS:
Silver pot (without the glass of course) weighs 77g
Not interested in the history, the antiquity from the days of the English Silversmith craftsmanship?
This Mustard pot could be considered purely for the base metal value ... based on the current spot price for the base metal Silver (approximately A$2.80 per gram), this would mean the pot has a "metal only" value of approximately A$200 although the precious metals markets are going just a little crazy at the moment. Not only Silver but 999 Gold in particular has substantially increased in value over recent months and doesn't appear to be finishing climbing yet.
Total Mustard Pot weight is 129 grams with the Glass liner inside.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
Please read and absorb the following information!
This example of Hallmarked Sterling Silverware from Stokes & Ireland is NOT perfect by any means - being over 120 years old, it has survived the years very well but does have a couple of flaws.
The Sterling Silver pot is in very, very good condition, not misshapen or badly scratched. No marks of any concern at all.
I have given this piece a cleanup using the Bi-Carb/Aluminium foil treatment so it is very clean and almost (but not completely) free of oxidisation marks. I didn't want this item to "look like new" and left just a tiny amount of oxidisation (a slightly darker colouring in a couple of areas) on the Silver surface.
There is absolutely NO pitting to the surface anywhere (that would be very serious oxidisation!)
The pin type hinge is sound, it does not "wobble" and seems very secure.
While NOT misshapen, I did notice the very slightest mark of a dent or knock at some stage - on the lid outer rim. Not easy to see but the change in light reflection shows it up.
The stamping on the underside of the lid is noticeably more difficult to read ... to me it looks as though the 2nd character is a B, the year date stamps. However the first stamp is just so hard to read, possibly it is another Lion Passant - of this I am not sure.
GLASS LINER:
This insert has not been so lucky in life! I noticed that at some stage someone must have dropped this and the top rim has taken a "hit" - two slivers of glass came away from the liner. They have been glued back together but ... you wouldn't want to run your finger around the inside of this liner too much because I can still feel a small glass edge (a little sharp)
It would be best to try (how, so so hard to find) another Blue depression glass liner to fit this Mustard pot OR if being used purely for a "display collection", then it really isn't easy to spot these repairs unless the liner is lifted out of the pot.
For an item that is 120+ years old to be in such great condition is indeed a wonder (to me at least) I only wish my wife and I both looked as good at 120 years old!
