Description

A rare pair of antique English silver candlesticks from the early 1700’s. Britannia standard silver*. Very solid cast silver with octagonal form and baluster columns. Lovely plain style in keeping with the period. Each stick bears a hand engraved lion crest, for the Turnor family, on the base. Excellent colour.

Weight 707 grams, 22.7 troy ounces.
Height 17.5 cms. Base 10.3 cms square.
London 1713.
Made by Thomas Folkingham.
These make a matching set of four with #9770.

Marks. Stamped underneath each stick with a full set of clear English silver hallmarks. There is also a lion’s head erased to each candle sconce. Each has the original scratchweight underneath the base.

*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.

Literature – Few domestic silver candlesticks still exist before the reign of Charles II. 17th century examples are usually made from sheet silver and are light in weight. Cast candlesticks started to appear circa 1685 and are much heavier in weight. The first loaded candlesticks appeared circa 1765 and are made of sheet, and not cast.

In very good condition. The hand engraved lion crests still have definition with some wear.

Maker: Thomas Folkingham

Thomas Folkingham, apprenticed to John Bache 1693, free 1703. Married Elizabeth Denney, daughter of John Bache’s partner William Denney, in 1700. He died in 1729 after achieving considerable status as a successful banker-goldsmith. Arthur Grimwade described his best work as showing strong Huguenot influence and it is likely that he employed emigres as journeymen.

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