Fine Antique English Solid Silver Desert knife circa 1896/97

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

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