Silver & Objects of Vertu | Year in Review

It has been a standout year for the Silver & Objects of Vertu department at Chiswick Auctions. Head of Department, John Rogers, has delivered his strongest sales to date, with a carefully curated offering that balanced rare and academically significant objects with items suited to all collecting levels. Here are a few of the department’s 2020 highlights.

Lot 313. A rare American mid-18th century silver pepper caster, Philadelphia circa 1740-50 by Phillip Syng Jr (1703-1789),  25 March 2020. Sold for £2,000 incl. Buyer's Premium.

This pepper pot, discovered in a box of silver-plated articles, marks the earliest example of American silver offered by the department. It bears a single maker’s mark, ‘PS’, which was confidently identified as that of colonial Philadelphia silversmith Phillip Syng Jr. Syng is perhaps best known for crafting the inkstand used to sign the American Declaration of Independence.

Lot 481. An important and unrecorded Charles II provincial silver beaker, Great Yarmouth circa 1675-80 by Thomas Hutchinson (active 1675-1699), 30 October 2020. Sold for £7,500 incl. Buyer's Premium.

This rare beaker is a significant discovery within 17th-century provincial English silver. Now the third known piece of holloware from Great Yarmouth, it showcases the restrained elegance typical of the period. It has now joined a prominent East Anglian collection and contributes valuable information to the regional history of silversmithing.

Lot 473. Welsh Interest - A set of four George I Britannia standard silver candlesticks, London 1725 by Arthur Dicken (reg. 18th June 1720), 30 October 2020. Sold for £18,750 incl. Buyer's Premium.

These candlesticks are not only outstanding examples of Baroque casting but also hold historical significance due to their heraldry. The arms are those of the Mansel family, Barons of South Wales. How the family’s silver was dispersed remains a mystery, but these pieces have now returned to descendants of the original owners.

Lot 172. A large late 19th / early 20th century Chinese Export silver twin handled tray, Canton circa 1900, retailed by Wang Hing, 30 October 2020. Sold for £5,250 incl. Buyer's Premium.

Chinese Export silver continues to command strong interest, and this tray exemplifies why. Made in the Canton workshop of Sui Chang and retailed by the esteemed Wang Hing, the piece was further enhanced by Scottish heraldry, contributing to its strong result.

Lot 297. A large early to mid-20th century Iranian (Persian) unmarked silver samovar on stand, Isfahan circa 1920-40, 25 March 2020. Sold for £3,250 incl. Buyer's Premium.

Silver from outside Europe saw impressive growth across our sales this year. Interest in Indian, Persian, Burmese, Thai, Malay, and Iraqi silver remains strong, with collectors increasingly drawn to regional craftsmanship and cultural significance.

Interested in receiving a complimentary Silver Valuation?

If you are interested in a complimentary valuation of your silver, please get in touch with Head of Silver & Objects of Vertu, John Rogers, at  john.rogers@chiswickauctions.co.uk or submit an online valuation. We welcome items from all periods and regions, and our expert team is happy to advise on both individual pieces and entire collections.