Description

A delightful sterling silver cylinder scent bottle, with a hinged flip top and glass stopper. The bottle is finely engraved in the Kate Greenaway style, with two little girls sitting on a wall looking at a snail, there is a church in the background. Original gilt interior. Height 5.5 cms. Diameter 2.5 cms. London 1893. Maker Sampson Mordan & Co.

Literature: Kate Greenaway was a prolific illustrator of childrens books, born in Hoxton in 1846, the daughter of an daughter of a draughtsman and engraver, John Greenaway. She popularised a style of drawing that is instantly recognisable as hers – delicate watercolours of children with animals and birds in the English countryside.

Between 1882 – 1884 Greenaway pictures appeared on Mordan scent bottles almost always with children in the foreground and a house or church in the background.

This pretty scent bottle is in very good condition with no damage or restoration. Stamped with clear and matching English silver hallmarks to both top and bottom. Traces of the original gilding on the exterior. 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.

Maker: Sampson Mordan & Co

Sampson Mordan (1770-1843), apprenticed to the mechanic John Bramah, established his own business in 1815. The first patent for a propelling pencil was obtained in 1822 (his co-inventor was John Isaac Hawkins). In 1823 Mordan bought out the rights of Hawkins, and entered into partnership with Gabriel Riddle manufacturing silver mechanical pencils with the marking "SMGR” until 1836 when the partnership was dissolved and the business became S. Mordan & Co. Sampson Mordan died in 1843 and the business was taken over by his sons Sampson (Jr) and Augustus, They were later joined by Edmund George Johnson and Zachariah Watkins who retired in 1879. In 1898 the company became the limited liability company S. Mordan & Co Ltd. In 1933 the distribution rights on the propelling pencil business were given to L. G. Sloan Ltd, and in 1941, following the destruction of the factory by enemy bombing, the patents were sold to Edward Baker. The firm went into voluntary liquidation in 1952. In addition to pencils the firm had a large production line of small silver and gold items, most of them belonging to the type of "novelties" so popular at the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th century. They were supplied to many retailers, including Asprey & Sons and the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd. Sampson Mordan & Co was present at the 1851 London Great Exhibition and at the 1922 and 1929 British Industries Fair.

Customer satisfaction is our primary concern

All silverware on our website is checked thoroughly prior to offering it for sale and every product listing contains a condition report and details of the silver hallmarks.

All items offered on our website include:

• Free Shipping Worldwide
• Tracked and Insured
• 14 day no quibble money back guarantee
• We are accredited members of LAPADA and conform to their strict professional standards
• We dispatch 1-3 days after receiving cleared payments

More detailed information about deliveries, returns and how to pay is available in the Help section at the bottom of this page.