Augustin Courtauld 1685/86 – 1751.

The young Augustin came to England from France during the persecution of the Hugeunot Protestants in 1696, and in 1701, he was apprenticed to the prominent Huguenot silversmith Simon Pantin to whom Augustin’s half-brother Peter (1689/90–1729) was also apprenticed. Free of the Goldsmiths’ Company by service in 1708, Augustin entered his first mark (Britannia) as largeworker later that year. Subsequent marks – 2nd (Sterling) in 1729, 3rd 1739.

Augustin, the patriarch of a numerous and prestigious silversmithing family, married Anne Bardin in 1709 and of their many children Anne married John Jacob in 1738 and Samuel I (1720–1765) was apprenticed to his father in 1734, free 1747. Augustin’s will left to Samuel I all his trade utensils and patterns.

Augustin established a reputation for producing exceptional domestic silver of heavy gauge and fine quality. He was head of a successful, prolific and renowned family of Silversmith’s, prominent members of the Huguenot community who contributed notably to the arts and skilled crafts, commercial enterprise and public life in eighteenth century England. He produced many fine two-handled cups, vessels for tea, coffee and chocolate and decoratively bordered trays and salvers. Many of his works are held in private collections, notably in the Courtauld Institute Gallery. Other works include a centrepiece made for the Russian court and the State Salt of the City of London.