Silver & Silver-plated items

A set of four Victorian kangaroos salts made by silversmiths Hunt & Roskell sold for Aus$70,000 (£42,000) as part of the Fairfax collection at Leonard Joel in Sydney on August 31-September 2.

So much more successful than their 18th century forebears, today’s Jacobites go from strength to strength.

With everything buzzing at Chiswick Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) ahead of the opening of the South Kensington showroom next week (see last week’s ATG No 2305), life at the west London rooms goes on providing a solid base for this ambitious expansion.

It was the 18th century Dutch silversmith John Schuppe who first popularised the silver cow creamer in Britain in the 1750s. Over the following centuries his design captured the imagination of the upper classes, who commissioned these novelty jugs in droves.

It may be pretty quiet on the auction front in Europe but Down Under the saleroom and fairs scene is in full swing.

Thieves in Chipping Campden have struck at the core of the Court Barn Museum’s collection of Arts & Crafts silver and jewellery.

Despite their function, stirrup cups in the form of equine heads are a little harder to find than those of dogs and foxes.

Campaigners against ‘British’ hallmarking overseas have welcomed the launch of a consultation on the issue.

A set of four silver-gilt candlesticks priced at £350,000 by Koopman Rare Art, were among the top sales on the opening day of Masterpiece London last week.

The London Assay Office has spoken out against moves to allow UK hallmarks to be stamped overseas.

Largely based on three private collections – and helped by the strength of the collectables market – the spring sale of silver and boxes was the best yet for Salisbury auction house Woolley & Wallis (22% buyer’s premium).

Among the pieces of Fabergé bringing competition at last week’s Russian art sales in London was this c.1909-13 silver vodka cup offered at Sotheby’s.

Dublin dealer sells an Irish selection as he hands the reins of the shop over to his son.

Established in London in 1735, jeweller Garrard has had a long association with the British Royal family.

The appeal of this 16in (40.5cm) tall French silvered bronze of a ballerina offered at Wotton Auction Rooms (21% buyer’s premium) on May 23, undoubtedly owed much of its success to its provenance.