Antique Silver Fox
When you search for antique silver fox, you find items shaped as the animal or cast with hunting horns, mustard pots and menu holders.
Antique Silver Fox
Antique silver fox items span the Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and interwar periods, taking the form of table lighters, letter openers, mustard pots, menu holders and desk studies.
The most common forms on this page include sterling silver hunting horn table lighters, figural menu card holders, pin cushions and mustard pots associated with equestrian and sporting themes.
Pieces range from small novelty items like silver pin cushions and pepperettes to larger table pieces, often reflecting the strong influence of British country sports and hunting motifs.
How they were made
Items are constructed primarily from sterling silver, silver gilt and white metal, frequently combined with glass, wood, leather and opaque glass inserts.
Silversmiths employed techniques such as casting, hammering and detailed engraving to create figural studies, horns and pierced mustard pots.
Makers utilised supportive elements like wooden plinths, marble bases and leather wrappings for items including riding whips and desk studies.
One unfortunate fox spent decades disguised as a walking stick cane before finding a quieter life on a shelf.
What varies in quality
The standard of a piece depends upon the crispness of the chasing and the anatomical detail in the casting of the animal or hunting horn.
Quality rests on the integrity of the hallmarks, the weight of the metal and the preservation of original components such as glass liners or wooden plinths.
Makers known for exceptional output and silversmithing skill distinguish finer examples from standard production pieces.
Sampson Mordan·Charles and George Fox·Charles Thomas Fox·Asprey·Swaine Adeney
The Antique Silver Fox Glossary
- Sterling silver
- A silver alloy containing 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent other metals, usually copper, ensuring durability for tableware and decorative items.
- Table lighter
- A heavier desk ornament, often fashioned as a hunting horn in this category, designed to stay in one place rather than be carried.
- Menu holder
- A small desk accessory with a weighted base and a clip or slot to display place cards at dining tables.
- Pin cushion
- A small figural novelty object, frequently shaped as an animal, designed with a padded insert to hold sewing pins.
- Mustard pot
- A small lidded container used for holding prepared mustard at the dining table, often featuring a blue glass liner.
Antique Silver Fox: Frequently Asked Questions
How are silver menu holders used?
Menu and place card holders sit on dining tables to display guest names or the evening's menu during formal meals.
They feature small weighted bases and clips, often cast in the form of animals or hunting scenes.
What periods do these silver items come from?
The pieces span from the Georgian era through the Victorian and Edwardian periods up to the interwar years of the twentieth century.
Each period brings distinct manufacturing techniques and decorative styles associated with British silversmithing.
How do you identify a mustard pot?
Mustard pots are small lidded containers designed to hold table condiments, frequently supplied with a removable blue glass liner.
In this category, they often feature detailed silver work and handles shaped to match equestrian or animal themes.