1721 English Britannia Standard Seamed Cast Silver Tapersticks David Green London Candlesticks

Fine pair of George 1 Britannia standard silver tapersticks,

hallmarked London E & F 1720/21, makers mark a gothic Gr under a crown, for David Green, one mark double/partial struck.

Hexagonal baluster tapersticks each cast in five parts with seamed construction.

David Green is part of a long line of specialist candlestick makers.

He worked under Joseph Bird and in turn was master of renowned candlestick specialists James Gould and John Cafe.

Contemporary crest a lion rampant, below three stars, engraved in a lozenge reserve.

Height 4,1/2" or 115mm combined weight 199 grams.

Both in very good condition with no damage or repair.

Guaranteed old and original.

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Britannia silver is an alloy of silver containing 11 ounces and 10 pennyweight silver in the pound troy, equivalent to 95.83% by weight silver, the balance being usually copper.

This standard was introduced in England by Act of Parliament in 1697 to replace sterling silver (92.5% silver) as the obligatory standard for items of "wrought plate". The lion passant gardant hallmark denoting sterling was replaced with "the figure of a woman commonly called Britannia", and the leopard's head mark of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths replaced with a "lion's head erased".

Britannia standard silver was introduced as part of the great recoinage scheme of William III from 1696, when attempts were made to limit the clipping and melting of sterling silver coinage. A higher standard for wrought plate meant that sterling silver coins could not easily be used as a source of raw material because additional fine silver, which was in short supply at the time, would have to be added to bring the purity of the alloy up to the higher standard.

Waiter of 1732, with Britannia gauge mark

Britannia silver is softer than sterling, and after complaints from the trade sterling silver was authorised again for use by silversmiths from 1 June 1720, and thereafter Britannia silver has remained an optional standard for hallmarking in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

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Shipping / Postage cost is not included in my prices.

I ship worldwide and have much experience in international customs, packing and secure shipping.

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Payment accepted by Electronic Bank Transfer, bank transfer or Cheque in the post .

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Email me

andrew.nethercott@btopenworld.com

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