An Early Victorian 12 Place Silver Kings Pattern Canteen by George Adams
£10,500
A very fine early Victorian silver double struck King's Pattern 12 place setting canteen service with the shell and diamond heel. This wonderful table service consists of 91 pieces made up of:
12 table/serving spoons
12 table forks
12 table knives
12 dessert spoons
12 dessert forks
12 dessert knives
12 teaspoons
4 sauce ladles
1 pair of sugar tongs
1 carver
1 serving fork
Total weighable silver: 4567g or 146.8 ozT (161 oz)
The silver handled (filled) dinner & dessert knives retain their original steel blades.
All the pieces hallmarked for London, the dates are between 1847 - 1874. All by George Adams.
Except the sugar tongs which are hallmarked for London 1858 by Elizabeth & John Eaton, and the knives, carver & serving fork are hallmarked for Sheffield 1860 by Harrison Bros & Howson.
The blades are stamped V R with a dagger between.
All the pieces are in very good condition with no damage or repairs. The decoration is crisp throughout. Various crests and monograms. A very fine set of silver cutlery.
George William Adams (Chawner & Co)
He was a prolific maker of fine silverware in the second half off the nineteenth century. In 1838, George William Adams married Mary Chawner, the daughter of William Chawner. It was agreed that he would go into the business with her mother (Mary Chawner), and a joint makers mark was registered from March – November 1840. After this, George Adams took over Chawner & Co, and ran it exceptionally well. He was an exhibitor at the 1851 Great Exhibition and the company became one of the largest producers of top quality silver flatware in Victorian England. The Chawner & Co pattern book was published in 1875, and became the encyclopedia for Victorian flatware patterns. It was heavily referenced by Ian Pickford in his now-standard reference book on silver flatware.
In 1883, Chawner & Co was sold to Holland, Aldwinkle & Slater (1883-1922, when the firm was absorbed by Francis Higgins & Son Ltd).
Chawner was the most important manufacturer of spoons and forks in London, supplier of important retail houses as Hunt & Roskell, R.& S. Garrard & Co, Elkington & Co (in most cases they overstruck the pieces with their own mark).
Canteen Measurements
12 Table forks - London 6x 1852, 6x1855
Length - 21cm or 8 ¼”
Tine width - 3cm or 1 ¼”
Weight - 1084g or 34.85 ozT
12 Table spoons - London 7x 1852, 2x1849, 3x 1862
Length - 22.5cm or 8 ¾”
Bowl width - 5cm or 2”
Weight - 1159g or 37.3 ozT
12 Dessert forks - London 3x 1847, 2x 1872, 2x 1862, 2x 1856, 1x 1874, 1x 1854, 1x 1855
Length - 15.5cm or 6”
Tine width - 2.5cm or 1”
Weight - 739g or 23.8 ozT
12 Dessert spoons - London 2x 1852, 2x 1860, 1848, 1854, 3x 1847, 1862, 1867, 1854,
Length - 18cm or 7”
Bowl width - 4cm or 1 ½”
Weight - 736g or 23.66 ozT
12 Teaspoons - London 3x 1855, 2x 1863, 3x 1864, 2x 1851, 2x 1852,
Length - 14.5cm or 5 ¾”
Bowl width - 3cm or 1 ¼”
Weight - 433g or 13.92 ozT
1 pair of Sugar tongs - London 1858 by Elizabeth & John Eaton
Length - 15cm or 6”
Width - 5cm or 2”
Weight - 77g or 2.47 ozT
4 Sauce/serving Ladles - London 2x 1847, 1852, 1859
Length - 18cm or 7”
Bowl width - 6cm or 2 ⅜”
Weight - 339g or 10.9 ozT
12 Table knife length: 28.5cm or 11 ¼”
12 Dessert knife length: 22.5cm or 9”
1 Carver length: 30cm or 12”
1 Serving fork length: 27cm or 10 ½”
