1871 Thomas Prime & sons of Birmingham, Egyptian Revival Silver plate and Vaseline glass Epergne
Thomas Prime & Son, a firm of silversmiths and electroplaters, produced a wide array of household items in silver and silver-plate. The firm was well-regarded for its quality electroplated goods and had a history of exhibiting at prestigious events like the Great Exhibition of 1851. The fact that the epergne is an elaborate piece from this reputable maker further enhances its value beyond that of a more common item.
Please note the image of the registration mark, this registration is a significant finding. From 1842 to 1883, the British Patent Office issued a diamond-shaped mark with the registration number when a design was registered under the Ornamental Designs Act of 1842. The presence of a registered design number on your epergne, combined with this official record, strongly authenticates its origin and date. This registration protected the aesthetic and ornamental aspects of the epergne against being copied. It is common for these numbers to be the only marks on silver-plated items from this period.
It look me a evening of going through the National archives on line but I was able to find the registration that corresponds to the epergne, after de coding all the symbols I fund that this item was registered of the 17th of July 1871.
The date places the epergne in the period following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, which triggered a wave of interest in Egyptian art and culture in Britain. This makes the Egyptian Revival design historically accurate for the item's creation
This stunning museum quality piece is comprised of Vaseline glass as well as silver plaited metal.
Fantastic bright glow under UV blacklight, note: images taken with UV light torch, 395nm wavelength.
All items are sensitively and minimally cleaned
Any questions please don't hesitate to drop me a message. I am very happy to pass on any additional information, or images you may need, if you are interested in more than one item I can arrange a combined postage price.
shipping price include full insurance cover.
All items will be packaged using recycled or reused materials to help minimise any environmental impact.
Please be aware that you are purchasing a vintage item. We mention any obvious defects to the glass such as chips, cracks, etc. in our description but there may also be minor manufacturing faults eg. marks from the mould, straw marks and air bubbles, which is normal for glass of this era.
Just a quick note to all our American customers, we are up to speed on all the new import tariff changes, please feel confident with continuing to order from us, with Royal Mail any excess tariff charges are paid at point of purchase, this insures our customers have no nasty customs costs, we are here to answering any questions you may have, thank you, Kirsty
Thomas Prime & Son, a firm of silversmiths and electroplaters, produced a wide array of household items in silver and silver-plate. The firm was well-regarded for its quality electroplated goods and had a history of exhibiting at prestigious events like the Great Exhibition of 1851. The fact that the epergne is an elaborate piece from this reputable maker further enhances its value beyond that of a more common item.
Please note the image of the registration mark, this registration is a significant finding. From 1842 to 1883, the British Patent Office issued a diamond-shaped mark with the registration number when a design was registered under the Ornamental Designs Act of 1842. The presence of a registered design number on your epergne, combined with this official record, strongly authenticates its origin and date. This registration protected the aesthetic and ornamental aspects of the epergne against being copied. It is common for these numbers to be the only marks on silver-plated items from this period.
It look me a evening of going through the National archives on line but I was able to find the registration that corresponds to the epergne, after de coding all the symbols I fund that this item was registered of the 17th of July 1871.
The date places the epergne in the period following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, which triggered a wave of interest in Egyptian art and culture in Britain. This makes the Egyptian Revival design historically accurate for the item's creation
This stunning museum quality piece is comprised of Vaseline glass as well as silver plaited metal.
Fantastic bright glow under UV blacklight, note: images taken with UV light torch, 395nm wavelength.
All items are sensitively and minimally cleaned
Any questions please don't hesitate to drop me a message. I am very happy to pass on any additional information, or images you may need, if you are interested in more than one item I can arrange a combined postage price.
shipping price include full insurance cover.
All items will be packaged using recycled or reused materials to help minimise any environmental impact.
Please be aware that you are purchasing a vintage item. We mention any obvious defects to the glass such as chips, cracks, etc. in our description but there may also be minor manufacturing faults eg. marks from the mould, straw marks and air bubbles, which is normal for glass of this era.
Just a quick note to all our American customers, we are up to speed on all the new import tariff changes, please feel confident with continuing to order from us, with Royal Mail any excess tariff charges are paid at point of purchase, this insures our customers have no nasty customs costs, we are here to answering any questions you may have, thank you, Kirsty