Hallmarks - Lion passant (sterling), Crown (Sheffield), Date letter n (1905) and Maker's mark M W (Mappin and Webb), Brand name "Trustworthy." When you say, 'Silver?' "Sterling is the American and British standard for silver, used to produce most elaborate and costly pieces. The sterling standard is 925 parts of silver to 75 parts copper in every 1000 parts sterling silver."

Scrounging around a mate's cutlery draw I found three items with a hallmark, apparently, his great Nan, used to work as a chamber maid, somewhere. After looking them up I was surprised to find out how old they are and this is the third item to be sold... This is had to wrench away, for they were still using it. I tried it on some cheese last night, and it cuts beautifully, for they sharpen it still regularly. This isn't a knife for languishing about in a collector's draw, being nearly one hundred years old, it should still be used by it's new owners to cut the Sunday roast as it was once in 1905 - ninty seven years ago! It was made is Sheffield, 84 miles from Telford. At that time you'd have gone through Stafford and Chesterfield to get there. Most likely it was sold out of a shop in Shrewsbury (14 miles) or Ironbridge (5 miles). Maybe a descendant of the Darby family who built the first span iron bridge in 1781 thereby starting the industrial revolution. Or, the owners or bankers of Jackfield Tile Factory, The Broseley Clay Pipe Works or the Coalport China Works all very busy at the time. But over the coming decades the Ironbridge area fell on bad times. The blade is steel I'd guess, it's only the little waist band on the ivory handle that is solid sterling silver, and carries the hallmark and maker's mark which are well defined and deep. The blade is pitted, but very, very sharp. Who's to know how many times this has been sharpened over its career, remember, if I hadn't pulled it from my mate's hand it would be cutting roast beef this weekend. The  bone handle is pinned to stop it twisting. The maker's brand name Trustworthy surely suits this knife. I'm sure there's another 100 years of cutting life in this blade. This is a well made instrument. Mappin and Webb still carry their Royal Warrants to HM The Queen and are now in Birmingham and London as well as Sheffieldwhere this was made. Much of the blade has been worn away by repeated sharpening over ninty seven years. The blade is pitted, but could be cleaned. The ivory handle has a small, very, very small chink on one of its corners near the blade, no bigger than a small pin head. Blade 6 1/2" or 158mm handle 4 5/16" or 109mm

1327 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:57:20 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Very Used Antique English Solid Silver Waist and Ivory Handle Medium Carving Knife circa 1905/06

Hallmarks - Lion passant (sterling silver), Leopard's head (London), Date letter r (1912) and Maker's mark GJ/DF (George Jackson and David Fullerton). When you say, 'Silver?' "Sterling is the American and British standard for silver, used to produce most elaborate and costly pieces. The sterling standard is 925 parts of silver to 75 parts copper in every 1000 parts sterling silver."

Scrounging around a mate's cutlery draw I found three items with a hallmark, apparently, his great Nan, used to work as a chamber maid, somewhere. After looking them up I was surprised to find out how old they are and this is the second item to be sold... Lovely little solid sterling silver desert fork, nearly a hundred years old. With the very first owner's initials engraved in the handle (EMJ). I don't know who that is, but in 1912 just before the Great War (WW1), around here in Telford, Shropshire, UK, there weren't that many who could afford cutlery, let alone silver AND to have their initials engraved in each and every piece of the cutlery service! For sure they were the nobs' upper crust. I wonder where the rest of the silver service is, probably still in their original box,. Wouldn't the owner of that box of EMJ engraved silver service cutlery want this to complete the set? Unless it was split up. Who knows! Most likely it was sold out of a shop in Shrewsbury (14 miles) or Ironbridge (5 miles). Maybe a descendant of the Darby family who built the first span iron bridge in 1781 thereby starting the industrial revolution. Or, the owners or bankers of Jackfield Tile Factory, The Broseley Clay Pipe Works or the Coalport China Works all very busy at the time. But over the coming decades the Ironbridge area fell on bad times. Fully hallmarked for London 1912/13 and with the maker's mark (a shield) of George Jackson and David Fullerton becoming a little worn after the years of cleaning and polishing. I guess it wasn't stamped in as deep as the hallmarks or it was rubbed more there when cleaned by the servants. I guess experts would know about this. Apparently, George Jackson and David Fullerton "are known for making a wide range of articles but particularly good flatware." I guess that means hammering forks out of sheets of solid sterling silver? One of the prongs is ever so slightly pushed inwards. Easily pulled back straight, but don't want to ruin the history of this dear little desert fork, so I'll leave it up to it's next owner. Fork: 1.019 ounces or 29.0 grams. 6 1/4" or 158 mm

1326 Also posted to: Home page . At: 6:16:31 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Fine Antique English Solid Silver Desert Fork circa 1912/13

Hallmarks - Lion passant (sterling), Crown (Sheffield), Date letter d (1896) and Maker's mark Flag W & H (Walker and Hall). When you say, 'Silver?' "Sterling is the American and British standard for silver, used to produce most elaborate and costly pieces. The sterling standard is 925 parts of silver to 75 parts copper in every 1000 parts sterling silver."

Scrounging around a mate's cutlery draw I found three items with a hallmark, apparently, his Great, Great Gran, used to work as a chamber maid, somewhere. After looking them up I was surprised to find out how old they are and this is the first item to be sold... Lovely little solid sterling silver desert knife, for over one hundred years this little knife has been busy feeding the mouths of the local Shropshire (UK) gentry with cake. The polishing and cleaning have worn the floral design, and at some period in it's one hundred and seven year old career it's been dropped on it's end point perhaps on it's very first day in 1896. Sure a little tap with the hammer would clear it up, but that would spoil it's history IMHO. It was made is Sheffield, 84 miles from Telford. At that time you'd have gone through Stafford and Chesterfield to get there. Most likely it was sold out of a shop in Shrewsbury (14 miles) or Ironbridge (5 miles). Maybe a descendant of the Darby family who built the first span iron bridge in 1781 thereby starting the industrial revolution. Or, the owners or bankers of Jackfield Tile Factory, The Broseley Clay Pipe Works or the Coalport China Works all very busy at the time. But over the coming decades the Ironbridge area fell on bad times. Fully hallmarked for Sheffield 1896/97 and with the makers mark of the very famous firm of Silversmiths, Walker and Hall. The hallmark is deep and clear as is the maker's mark (a flag). The feminine floral pattern is quite distinctive. I don't know if it has been specialy designed or a stock patern. I guess there's books out there, and experts that'll know. Perhaps it was part of a gift set for a young lady's bottom draw? I'm sure the design would have been all the fashion at the time. Hand engraving a whole silver service set would add significantly to the gift price. Apparently Walker and Hall were "extremely prolific manufacturers." And, "the workshop of Walker and Hall was founded in 1845 by George Walker ("..a mediocre knife maker."), who had started in the trade age 7 to help his family. In 1890 Walker & Hall employed 700 people, with a production that ranges from silver plated to high quality silverware. In 1971 Walker and Hall was absorbed by Mappin & Webb." The lovely hand engraved floral design is very slightly worn around the centre of the flower where it was polished over time by the servants. There is a very small denting to the tip of the knife. Knife: 1.029 ounces or 29.3 grams. 6" or 152.5 mm

1325 Also posted to: Home page . At: 6:13:15 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Fine Antique English Solid Silver Desert knife circa 1896/97