British Colonial Silver

British Colonial Silver - Corfu

Corfu is one of the Greek Ionian islands. Although not the largest island geographically, it has been the one with the largest population for centuries. The British began to occupy the Ionian Islands after the defeat of Napoleon and reached Corfu in 1815. The period of English rule was generally a prosperous period for Corfu because the Greek language became official, new roads were built, the water supply system was improved and the first Greek University was founded in 1824. Although Corfu was never under the control of the Ottoman Empire, its inhabitants helped the rest of Greece financially during the Greek Revolution. On the 21st of May, 1864, the Ionian Islands were donated by the British to the new King of Greece, George I, annexed to the modern Greek state and have been an official part of it ever since.

There hasn't been a lot of published research on the silver production of that period, but there are various attributed marks. These marks all include a ship with initials, thought to be the assay mark, and a maker's mark. These are most often seen with two of each mark. A number of pieces of flatware are known, but also significant holloware including a teapot and a toast rack. This shows there were a number of competent silversmiths working there under British rule.

Ship (assay) marks recorded

Maker's marks recorded

I*H or T*H ?

Example of ship hallmark of AG, maker's mark AS

Example of ship hallmark AK, maker's mark IZ

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What's the rarest? Silver from Scottish Provincial towns.

Antique Scottish Provincial silver is one of the most interesting and confusing areas of silver collecting. There were numerous towns that were producing silver in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. There were no regulations governing these towns, so each town (or silversmith) came up with their own marks. These were often related to town symbols or coat of arms. It is often the question of rarity that wildly affects the value for these pieces of silver. Below is a table of suggested rarity: Scarce Rare Very Rare Aberdeen Arbroath Cupar Dumfries Ballater Ellon Dundee Banff Fochabers Glasgow (pre-Assay office) Canongate Forres Inverness Elgin Leith Perth Greenock Nairn Iona Peterhead Montrose St. Andrews Paisley Stonehaven Tain Wick This list is published by antiquesilverspoons.co.uk and is based on the research of Richard Turner (who's book, A Directory of Scottish Provincial Silversmiths and Their Ma

Women Silversmiths - Catherine L Charles, Edinburgh, 1940s

We haven't been able to find much information on artist and silversmith Catherine L Charles. She exhibited a self-portrait (pictured below) at the Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition, 1928. She exhibited from 1928-37 in Edinburgh, Scotland and was quite active until at least 1946. At the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, she exhibited at least eight pieces and one other was shown at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. Other examples by her include a winter mill scene and a still life of a vase with roses She was producing sterling silverware in the Arts and Crafts style in Scotland in the 1940s. A number of examples of her work can be found. Her maker's mark is 'CLC'. We have a number of pieces by her currently in stock. A sterling butter fork by CL Charles Catherine's maker's mark and hallmarks for Edinburgh 1944 PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST, 1928. (Courtesy Mellors and Kirks Auction via Invaluable)

Regional NSW Colonial Jewellers and Silversmiths - T. H. RAYSMITH of Newcastle (in progress)

Thomas Henry Raysmith started his business in 1876 in Newcastle, New South Wales as Watchmaker, Jeweller and Engraver. He appears to have also been a silversmith. His work was quoted in the newspaper regarding "the immense number of Masonic jewels, medals, badges, and other trophies manufactured by him bearing testimony to their quality ". By the end of his career, he was know as Jeweller and Silversmith. Below is a nice heavy colonial sterling serviette ring stamped 'RAYSMITH', made probably circa 1890-1900. He closed his shop in the 1920s. He passed away 1935 aged 77. Below is a gold pocketwatch by Raysmith.

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