Description

A rare early English antique silver strainer of circular form with a turned over rim. *Britannia standard silver. The bowl has drilled pierced holes with a five-pointed star to the centre. The acanthus shaped handles have hand decoration.

Weight 68 grams, 2.1 troy oz.
Spread 18.5 cm, 7.5 inches.
Maker John Chartier. 2nd makers mark, F R or IB.
London circa 1710-15.

Marks. Both handles have the maker’s mark for John Chartiers and also a second maker FR or IB in a shaped cartouche with two pellets above, marks badly struck. The bowl is unmarked.

Literature: Orange or lemon strainers were peculiar to the 18th century and were probably used in conjunction with punch bowls to filter out the fruit pips. They were made with one or two handles. The one handled strainer sometimes had a small tongue or lug on the opposite side of the handle which may have been used to hook it on to the side of the punch bowl. The strainers are normally marked in the piercing in the centre of the bowl. These strainers are popularly used nowadays as tea strainers although the size is larger than a normal tea strainer.

*Britannia Standard silver. 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 pure. 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.