Antique Arts & Crafts Sterling Silver Salt Cellars - A. E. Jones - 1912
Item History & Price
Antique Arts & Crafts Pair of HammeredSterling Silver Salt Cellars - A.E.Jones - 1912
~Welcome to my auction for this nice pair of early 20th century salt cellars~
This is a fine quality pair of solid sterling silver salt cellars by a top Arts & Crafts designer - both pieces are fully U.K. hallmarked for Birmingham 1912 and have the silversmiths mark of AEJ for Albert Edward Jones.To the base of both is the stamped number 577 which is probably a pattern number used by the... workshop.
A.E.Jones was part of a collective of Birmingham craft workers in the early part of the 20th century, known as the 'Birmingham Group'. Jones had learnt his craft at the Birmingham school of art and for a time he worked for the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft.After founding his own silversmith business in 1902 he later exhibited his workshops pieces at Arts & Crafts exhibitions. His sterling silver pieces are well known, but he also worked in copper, brass, silver plate and mixed metal items.
This pair of cellars are simply designed but are so typical of metalwork of the Arts & Crafts era - the whole movement was about a back to basics approach to metalworking, where you could see exactly how a piece was made using techniques used for hundreds of years.Almost the entire surface of the silver has a hammered or planished surface to it where the silversmith has shaped and beaten the metal into its shape.They look almost medieval in form with its two V shaped handles with their curled over little hooked ends.
The two items are a matched pair in respect of design, sized and hallmarked dates - curiously the hallmarks appear to be slightly different sizes and the makers marks are very slightly different (see last picture in set for comparison).I don't know exactly why this like it is, perhaps there were slightly different AEJ stamps at the workshop and maybe the two pieces were tested and assayed by different people at the Birmingham office - what I'm certain of is that these have always been a pair as I acquired them as they are, and the person I bought them from got them directly from the original family owners.
Each cellar measures approximately 9.5cm across the top (edge of handle to edge of handle) - the width of the actual bowl is 6.3cm - their approximate height is 2.7cm.The total unpacked weight for both is 65.3g.
The condition of the pair are very good with no faults to report - there are no nasty splits, dents or other kinds of damage - naturally, given their age there are some very minor and insignificant contact marks here and there from normal use.
I've seen similar A.E. Jones salts that have 3 handles, but not any 2 handled varieties as featured here - there appears to be no sign of any liners being present in the salts so perhaps they were just sold as they are.All A.E. Jones silver is highly collectable and these would make a nice addition to a collection or could be used if desired .
Please study the images provided to satisfy yourself as to the condition of of the items - if you have any further questions please ask and I'll be happy to oblige.
Postage to U.K. addresses is FREE (sent by signed for service) - delivery to international addresses is £10.00 (tracked / signed for).
Thanks for looking!
~Welcome to my auction for this nice pair of early 20th century salt cellars~
This is a fine quality pair of solid sterling silver salt cellars by a top Arts & Crafts designer - both pieces are fully U.K. hallmarked for Birmingham 1912 and have the silversmiths mark of AEJ for Albert Edward Jones.To the base of both is the stamped number 577 which is probably a pattern number used by the... workshop.
A.E.Jones was part of a collective of Birmingham craft workers in the early part of the 20th century, known as the 'Birmingham Group'. Jones had learnt his craft at the Birmingham school of art and for a time he worked for the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft.After founding his own silversmith business in 1902 he later exhibited his workshops pieces at Arts & Crafts exhibitions. His sterling silver pieces are well known, but he also worked in copper, brass, silver plate and mixed metal items.
This pair of cellars are simply designed but are so typical of metalwork of the Arts & Crafts era - the whole movement was about a back to basics approach to metalworking, where you could see exactly how a piece was made using techniques used for hundreds of years.Almost the entire surface of the silver has a hammered or planished surface to it where the silversmith has shaped and beaten the metal into its shape.They look almost medieval in form with its two V shaped handles with their curled over little hooked ends.
The two items are a matched pair in respect of design, sized and hallmarked dates - curiously the hallmarks appear to be slightly different sizes and the makers marks are very slightly different (see last picture in set for comparison).I don't know exactly why this like it is, perhaps there were slightly different AEJ stamps at the workshop and maybe the two pieces were tested and assayed by different people at the Birmingham office - what I'm certain of is that these have always been a pair as I acquired them as they are, and the person I bought them from got them directly from the original family owners.
Each cellar measures approximately 9.5cm across the top (edge of handle to edge of handle) - the width of the actual bowl is 6.3cm - their approximate height is 2.7cm.The total unpacked weight for both is 65.3g.
The condition of the pair are very good with no faults to report - there are no nasty splits, dents or other kinds of damage - naturally, given their age there are some very minor and insignificant contact marks here and there from normal use.
I've seen similar A.E. Jones salts that have 3 handles, but not any 2 handled varieties as featured here - there appears to be no sign of any liners being present in the salts so perhaps they were just sold as they are.All A.E. Jones silver is highly collectable and these would make a nice addition to a collection or could be used if desired .
Please study the images provided to satisfy yourself as to the condition of of the items - if you have any further questions please ask and I'll be happy to oblige.
Postage to U.K. addresses is FREE (sent by signed for service) - delivery to international addresses is £10.00 (tracked / signed for).
Thanks for looking!
