George III Silver Cruet


Date: 1792

Maker: Robert Hennell II

Country: England

Stock: 9667

Description

An elegant antique silver condiment set in the Adam style, the boat shaped silver stand having 4 original and matching cut crystal bottles, a pair of oil and vinegar bottle with silver hinged tops and a mustard pot with lift off lid. The cruet frame has a wooden base.

Stand measures 24 x 15.5cm, height 25cm.
All pieces marked London 1792. Sterling silver.
Maker Robert Hennell.

Literature. The earliest antique silver cruet frames, containing 3 castors and 2 glass bottles, were made from c.1700 onwards. Later in the 18th century the number of bottles in a cruet increased to as many as 8 or 10 containing a variety of sauces of the period such as soy, ketchup, tarragon etc, so many that little sauce labels were needed to identify the contents.

Biography

Robert Hennell II

Robert Hennell II, son of John Hennell, elder brother of Robert Hennell I.

Hennell Family (worked from 1728).
David Hennell I was apprenticed to Edward Wood 1728. Married Hannah Broomhead 1736. First mark, as largeworker 1736. The Hennell’s had fifteen children of which only five reached maturity. David retired from business in 1773 and died 1785.
Robert Hennell I, fifth child of David Hennell I, apprenticed to his father 1756, free 1763. 1st mark in partnership with David I 1763. 2nd similar. 3rd mark alone as smallworker 1772. 4th mark as saltmaker 1773. 5th mark in partnership with son David II as 3rd partner 1802.
Robert Hennell II, son of John Hennell, elder brother of Robert Hennell I. Apprenticed to his uncle Robert Hennell I 1778, free 1785. Also apprenticed to John Houle as engraver. 1st mark entered as plateworker with Henry Nutting 1808. 2nd,3rd and 4th marks mark alone 1809,1820 and 1826. Retired 1833.
Samuel Hennell, son of Robert Hennell I. 1st mark entered as third partner to his father and brother in 1802. 2nd mark with Robert Hennell only 1802. 3rd mark alone 1811. 4th mark in partnership with John Terry 1814, terminated 1816.
David Hennell II, apprenticed to his father Robert Hennell I 1782, free 1789. Livery 1791. 1st mark in partnership with his father 1795. Second mark, with brother Samuel added to the partnership 1802. Resigned from Livery 1821.

Condition

The condiment set is in very good condition. The bottles are all matching. Each piece is stamped with English silver hallmarks for 1792 and Robert Hennell. Please note that the two spoons are not original, they are both antique and hallmarked silver. The bottles are all matching with some slight wear and a little frosting; one oil and vinegar bottle is a little shorter than the other; the 2 silver castor tops have matching marks but the pattern is slightly different. Please note that this item is not new and will show moderate signs of wear commensurate with age. Reflections in the photograph may detract from the true representation of this item.

Images