Description

An excellent early English antique silver footed tazza with reed border and pedestal foot. Britannia standard silver*. Beautiful plain style typical of the period. To the centre there is a hand engraved armorial within a decorative contemporary cartouche.

Weight 522 grams, 16.7 troy ounces.
Diameter 24 cms. Height 6.75 cms. Diameter of bottom foot 10 cms.
Hallmarked on the top edge with clear crisp marks for London 1707.
Maker Charles Overing.

Marks. Both pieces are stamped with good clear silver marks. The base is lion mark only which is normal for the period.

Literature: From the 17th century until the reign of George I, salvers (often called tazzas) were raised on a pedestal foot. By 1700 some were made with the foot unscrewing. Very occasionally this type will also have 3 or 4 feet so that the salver can be used on a lower level.

*Britannia Standard. In 1696, so extensive had become the melting and clipping of coinage that the silversmiths were forbidden to use the sterling standard for their wares, but had to use a new higher standard, 95.8 per cent. New hallmarks were ordered, “the figure of a woman commonly called Britannia” and the lion’s head erased (torn off at the neck) replacing the lion passant and the leopard’s head crowned. This continued until the old standard of 92.5 per cent was restored in 1720. Britannia standard silver still continues to be produced even today and is always prized.