Simon Pantin (1666-1733) came from a long line of Rouen goldsmiths dating back to the late 16th century when Jacob Pantin, Simon’s great-great grandfather first entered the distinctive peacock maker’s mark which continued to be used by successive generations of the Pantin family.

Simon came to England in the early 1680’s as a refugee when his family fled the Huguenot persecution in France. The Pantins settled within the Rouen protestant community in London where they already had existing family members. Simon’s father had been a practising goldsmith in France and his son Simon was apprenticed to the prestigious Pierre Harache, also from Rouen, in 1686. Freed from his apprenticeship in 1693, aged 27, Simon finally obtained his freedom of the Goldsmith’s Company in 1701 and entered his first mark (Britannia Standard) 3 weeks later giving an address in St Martins Lane. Simon subsequently moved nearby to Castle St at “the sign of the peacock” in 1706 where he remained until his death in 1733. 2nd mark 1717, 3rd mark (Sterling) 1720. All marks incorporated the Pantin trademark “peacock”. Livery, October 1712.

Simon married (date unknown) Marthe de Joncourt, a Huguenot refugee from Saint-Quentin in France and they had at least 7 children of whom 3 died young and 3 became goldsmiths – Elizabeth (Eliza Godfrey), Simon II and Lewis Pantin.
Simon took 9 apprentices, all Huguenot, including Augustin Courtauld, Peter Courtauld, Abraham Buteux (his nephew and godson) and Simon Pantin II (his son).

Simon Pantin’s extensive work includes many fine specimens on display in museums and institutions worldwide including the beautiful tureen in the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg and the 1724 “Bowes” tea set in the Metropolitan Museum, New York. His expert technique, elegant style and minimal use of decoration was ideally suited to his main output of domestic teawares (tea canisters, teapots and kettles) and expertly cast candlesticks.

biography extracted from Sandra Robinson’s “Simon Pantin & His Children”