My Family Silver

Down among the leatherwork, embroidery and other contributions by amateur lady craftswomen to the Home Industries’ Exhibition at the Waldorf Hotel, London, in April 1908, Queen Alexandra was attracted to a little glazed earthenware teapot. This traditional ‘Brown Betty‘ was no ordinary article, however, because the exhibitor, a Mrs. F. Wright, had decorated it with a ‘perforated Silver Casement, beautifully designed, made in two parts.’ The point was that the silver mount could be removed for cleaning.

The mounting of ceramics and other materials was nothing new; splendid examples survive from all ages, including beautiful old Chinese vessels with late 16^th Century European silver and silver-gilt mounts. More recently the enterprising London silversmith Joseph Angell experimented with the idea in his 1851 silver four-piece ‘Aesop’s Fables’ tea and coffee service, which had an intricate frosted silver ‘jacket,’ allowing for the use of the set to be either plain or decorated. Elkington & Co. Ltd., the patentees of the electroplating process, on the other hand, developed a method of imparting very thin silver cagework mounts by electro-deposition to fancy articles, chiefly glass. Not so popular in England, this type of decoration was enthusiastically employed by many American silversmiths.

In a modest way, Mrs. Wright achieved success with her patent (no. 28,295), no doubt encouraged by royal patronage, because examples are known hallmarked between 1908 and 1911. Indeed, she supplied the teapots in four sizes, with the mounts in a variety of patterns, priced between 12s. 6d. and £5 5s.

One of Mrs. Wright's silver-mounted teapots from an advertisement, The Play Pictorial, London, 1909, no. 88, vol. XV, p. xxii

I’m sure the silver trade took a breather after all the sales in November. But anxiety remained about the level of business in the run-up to Christmas. As I go round the trade introducing myfamilysilver.com, many dealers tell me about their concerns about rising rents and costs. Everyone accepts the need to have a web presence but exposure is vital, especially on the all important Google search results, to reap the full reward. Silver is a perfect commodity to trade online (like books) as it is a standard material guaranteed by hallmark. In the past, however, many dealers have struggled to make an impression online as the market is fragmented. It also requires considerable energy, time and money to climb the rankings.

So, my yuletide conversations have further strengthened my conviction that together we can make a real difference to the trade of silver (as abebooks.com have revolutionised the sale of secondhand books). We have the resources to build a significent business online and the marketing skills and spend required to grab attention.

During January, I will be continuing my conversations with the trade and will start to invite dealers to join us. As more and more silver is uploaded to the site, our footprint will grow, so that when we launch our PR drive for traffic in the early summer there will be plenty of silver for a visitor to explore (and purchase).

No one can claim this will be an easy year - but together we can make it a better one.