Description

A rare early English silver cruet with two bottles for oil and vinegar and a small silver castor or pepperette. Excellent weight and large size. The heavy cut crystal bottles have multi-faceted cut decoration, typical of the period. The silver frame has an acanthus scroll carrying handle and side supports for the bottle tops and pepperette. The top of the frame has a hand engraved armorial which matches those on the bottle tops.

Total weight of silver 955 grams, 30.7 troy ounces.

Height 23.5cm (overall), 20.7cm (bottle), 9.5cm (pepper). Base measures 19.3 x 16.3cm.

London 1751.

Maker Elizabeth Godfrey, a highly respected Huguenot lady silversmith.

Marks. Stamped underneath the stand with a full set of English silver hallmarks, the base of the pepper with maker and lion marks.

Literature. The earliest antique silver Cruet frames, containing 3 castors and 2 glass bottles, were made from c.1700 onwards. At this early date the two bottle Oil and Vinegar frame was occasionally produced although these were more popular on the continent.

Read our article on Eliza Godfrey

Click here to read about condiments and cruets.

All the silver and crystal bottles are in very good condition. Fully matching and original.

Maker: Elizabeth Godfrey

Eliza (c.1700-1771) didn’t have a formal apprenticeship, instead she must have learnt her trade as a child in the family’s London workshop belonging to her father Simon Pantin (1666-1733). Pantin was a leading Huguenot goldsmith with a prestigious clientele and examples of his fine work can be seen in major museums and collections worldwide. Eliza’s marriage in 1721 to London goldsmith Abraham Buteaux (1698-1731) will have allowed her to continue her craft skills. Abraham was her father’s Huguenot nephew and godson, and was apprenticed to him in 1711, free in 1718. In 1721 Abraham entered 2 marks (Sterling and New Standard) and the married couple set up business in Green St, moving to Norris St in 1731. Just a few short months later Abraham died and Eliza, 3 months pregnant at the time, continued the business and entered her own widow’s mark as Elizabeth Buteux. The Buteux’s work bears similarity to that of Simon Pantin – mainly plain cups, other hollow-ware and salvers. The following year in 1732 Eliza, 7 months pregnant with Abraham’s child, married Benjamin Godfrey (1699-1741), a London jeweller with a neighbouring shop in Norris Street. Benjamin, born to an affluent English family, continued both the jeweller’s shop and the silversmith’s premises in Norris St. Despite having no experience of silvermaking he entered marks at Goldsmiths Hall as largeworker, presumably for use by Eliza. 1st mark in 1732, 2nd and 3rd marks in 1739. The Godfreys’ work displays strong Huguenot influences in design and fine execution, their later works incorporating rococo designs. Just as one would expect from a family background such as Eliza’s. When Benjamin died in 1741 Eliza entered her second widow’s mark as Elizabeth Godfrey. She remained active until at least 1766 and her work was known for its high quality and sophisticated style. Her trade card described herself as “Goldsmith, Silversmith and Jeweller to the Duke of Cumberland” and her success is evident by the considerable quality and quantity of her surviving work. Eliza had 10 children of whom 5 reached adulthood. Of these, only Panton Betew (1723-1799) worked in the industry as a silver and art dealer A significant number of strong and powerful female silversmiths achieved successful careers during the 18th century, a time when women enjoyed very few rights, especially in a male dominated industry. The Goldsmith’s Company records 63 women silversmiths working between 1697 and the Victorian era. biography extracted from Sandra Robinson's "Simon Pantin & His Children"

Customer satisfaction is our primary concern

All silverware on our website is checked thoroughly prior to offering it for sale and every product listing contains a condition report and details of the silver hallmarks.

All items offered on our website include:

• Free Shipping Worldwide
• Tracked and Insured
• 14 day no quibble money back guarantee
• We are accredited members of LAPADA and conform to their strict professional standards
• We dispatch 1-3 days after receiving cleared payments

More detailed information about deliveries, returns and how to pay is available in the Help section at the bottom of this page.