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ID #SA540503
FOR SALE
£875
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Pair Antique English Sampson Mordan Sterling Silver Menu Holders - Owls
For sale by Puckerings
for sale €1,024     $1,111
£875
Puckerings

Puckerings

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jul 2009
Browse dealers 397 items
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    A quality online collection of fine english antique smalls with free worldwide shipping from london, england
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Id #SA540503
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Pair Antique English Sampson Mordan Sterling Silver Menu Holders - Owls

1900 - 1920
For Sale by Puckerings
Description

A stunning pair of antique English sterling silver menu holders by the highly collectable silversmith, Sampson Mordan & Co. Each is fully hallmarked for Chester 1911.

The front of each features a finely executed Owl's head retaining the original glass eyes.

They come complete in their original presentation box (wear commensurate with age). The interior of the lid is printed with the retailer which in fact was in Gibraltar, signed Joseph Gache.

The Gache family came from Puerto Mahon in Menorca, a French Colony before it was taken over by the British. Just like so many immigrants in the early nineteenth centuary, the Gache family was looking for a new life under the protection of the British Garrison in Gibraltar.

Having been established in 1830 by Vincente Gache, the business didn't start to get going properly until Vincente's son Joseph Gache came along. Born in 1837 Joseph eventually became a talented optician and clock-maker, learning his trade in Barcelona.

Each menu holder measures 1 1/4" in diameter x 1" tall and the box measures 4" x 2 1/2" x 1 3/4". Excellent condition.

Item ID: 40184

FREE Worldwide Registered Airmail Directly From London, England

Physical Dimensions
Height
4cm (1.57")
Width
10cm (3.94")
Depth
6cm (2.36")
Declaration

Puckerings has dated these Silver Owl Menu Holders to the 1910s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA540503
Dealers Internal Reference
40184
Dealers Notes

FREE Worldwide Shipping Directly From London, England

Description
A stunning pair of antique English sterling silver menu holders by the highly collectable silversmith, Sampson Mordan & Co. Each is fully hallmarked for Chester 1911.

The front of each features a finely executed Owl's head retaining the original glass eyes.

They come complete in their original presentation box (wear commensurate with age).

“
The interior of the lid is printed with the retailer which in fact was in Gibraltar, signed Joseph Gache.
Puckerings
fig 1. A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box.
fig 1. Pair Antique English Sampson Mordan Sterling Silver Menu Holders - Owls

The Gache family came from Puerto Mahon in Menorca, a French Colony before it was taken over by the British. Just like so many immigrants in the early nineteenth centuary, the Gache family was looking for a new life under the protection of the British Garrison in Gibraltar.

fig 2. A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box.
fig 2. Pair Antique English Sampson Mordan Sterling Silver Menu Holders - Owls

Having been established in 1830 by Vincente Gache, the business didn't start to get going properly until Vincente's son Joseph Gache came along. Born in 1837 Joseph eventually became a talented optician and clock-maker, learning his trade in Barcelona.

Each menu holder measures 1 1/4" in diameter x 1" tall and the box measures 4" x 2 1/2" x 1 3/4". Excellent condition.

Item ID: 40184

FREE Worldwide Registered Airmail Directly From London, England

Height
4cm (1.57")
Width
10cm (3.94")
Depth
6cm (2.36")
Date of Manufacture

Puckerings has dated these Silver Owl Menu Holders to the 1910s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA540503
Dealers Internal Ref
40184
Puckerings
Puckerings
Sellingantiques verified Since Jul 2009

A quality online collection of fine english antique smalls with free worldwide shipping from london, england

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Puckerings Profile Page

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A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box.
1 / 11
Archive I A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box.

Pair Antique English Sampson Mordan Sterling Silver Menu Holders - Owls

Archive II A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View II
Archive III A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View III
Archive IV A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View IV
Archive V A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View V
Archive VI A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View VI
Archive VII A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View VII
Archive VIII A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View VIII
Archive IX A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View IX
Archive X A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View X
Archive XI A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box. View XI
Enlarged Archival View
Puckerings

Puckerings
Telephone 07853 189 922
Location
London
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/puckerings
Verified Since Jul 2009
Items For Sale 397
Items Sold 7,615
Puckerings
Puckerings
Verified Since Jul 2009
View Dealer Info
Location: London, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/puckerings
Verified
Jul 2009
For Sale
397
Sold
7,615
A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box.
Pair Antique English Sampson Mordan Sterling Silver Menu Holders - Owls
Ref: SA540503
A pair of sterling silver menu holders shaped as detailed owl heads with yellow glass eyes resting on circular silver bases inside a blue fitted box.
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectMenu Holders
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleEdwardian
  • MaterialSterling Silver, Glass
  • ColourSilver
  • MotifsOwl head, Yellow glass eyes, Circular disc base
  • SizeH 4 cm (2 in) x W 10 cm (4 in) x D 6 cm (2 in)

This Edwardian pair of menu holders is made from sterling silver and glass, dating to 1911 and styled with detailed owl heads featuring yellow glass eyes on circular disc bases. The pieces are presented in a dark blue fitted box lined with deep purple velvet and cream silk fabric inside the lid, which shows printed retailer text and a small brass front clasp. Each holder measures 4 cm high, 10 cm wide, and 6 cm deep. Placed on a dining table center, these items organise menus or place cards during formal meals. The silver elements exhibit polished finishes alongside the original inset glass eyes, while the storage box displays age-related wear on its exterior surfaces and fabric interior. The compact items reflect early twentieth-century dining traditions in an English country house interior, functioning as decorative table accessories that combine precious metalwork with naturalistic animal motifs.

FAQs

Silver menu holders gained widespread popularity during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods as formal multi-course dining became standard in wealthy households. They were placed on dining tables to display printed menu cards or individual guest seating cards, often featuring intricate novelty designs such as animals, birds, or heraldic crests.

High-quality antique menu holders are predominantly crafted from sterling silver, hallmarked to confirm silver purity. Detailed examples, particularly bird or animal figures, often incorporate inset glass or enamel eyes to add realistic detail to the cast metalwork.

Authenticity is verified by examining the official British hallmarks stamped onto the piece. These marks typically include the makers mark, the lion passant indicating 925 sterling silver purity, an assay office symbol (such as a leopards head for London), and a date letter signifying the year of manufacture.

While originally intended for formal dinner parties to hold menu or place cards, these items can also be repurposed on an office desk or mantelpiece as decorative holders for photographs, business cards, or handwritten notes.

Sterling silver should be cleaned periodically using a soft, lint-free microfibre cloth and a non-abrasive silver cream or foam. Immersion in water or silver dips should be avoided if the piece contains inset glass eyes or composite fillings, as moisture can weaken internal adhesives.
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