by Robert
Massart
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click on images to enlarge
A SILVER MUSTARD POT - BIRMINGHAM 1906
An Edwardian solid sterling silver mustard pot with
original cobalt blue glass liner, made in 1906 by the famous
silversmith William Aitken in his workshops 'Eagle Works', 78
Summer Row Birmingham.
The body is hand chased with a decoration of garlands of foliage
and flowers. The domed hinged lid is raised by means of a
thumbpiece and the spoon aperture is cut in the shape of a
keyhole opposite the scroll handle. The original Bristol blue
glass liner is in perfect condition and free of chips or flea
bites.
The mustard pot has been impressed near the handle with a full
set of hallmarks that read as follows: lion passant for sterling
silver, anchor for the town mark of Birmingham, date letter 'g'
for the year 1906 and the sponsor's mark 'W.A in an oval'
standing for the maker William Aitken. The punches of the lion
passant and the date letter 'g' are repeated inside the lid.
The mustard pot measures 58 mm in length (77 mm including
handle) and it stands 50 mm to the top of the lid.
The gross weight is 84 grams and silver weight 36 grams.
William Aitken had his shop on 37-38 Vyse Street, Birmingham
and registered several sponsor’s marks as well in Birmingham as
in Chester. His private address was Wellington House, Wellington
Road, Handsworth, Birmingham.
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Birmingham, 1891-1894
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Chester, registered c.1893
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Chester, registered 15 February 1899
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Chester, registered 7 November 1899
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Chester, registered 20 November 1901
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Chester, registered 18 September 1902
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Birmingham, registered August 1904
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At first glance, the registration dates of the sponsor's
marks seem to prove that William Aitken was particularly active
in Chester during the period 1893-1902. However we must remember
that the assay office mark within a hallmark does not indicate
where something was made, only where it was assayed and
hallmarked. By Aitken's time there were no legal restrictions on
where an individual could register a mark in relation to his
place of business.
William Aitken was a Birmingham based jeweller; both the
registers at Birmingham and at Chester bear this out.
Biographical information on individual jewellers is scarce (info
received from Dr Sally Baggott, curator at the Birmingham Assay
Office).
In John Culme's Directory we read: 'William Aitken is recorded
at Eagle Works, 78 Summer Row, Birmingham 18 March 1907, where
he is listed in 1912 as a manufacturing silversmith. He was an
exhibitor at the Jeweller's Exhibition of the same year at which
time it was said that: 'it is an impossibility to mention any
article which can be made in silver that is not in the stock of
this firm... The motto of the house is 'Nothing is too large;
nothing is too small', and from the tiniest trinket to the
heaviest piece of plate Mr. Aitken is well at home". Among the
items shown were silver mounted glass ware, also silver bowls,
flower vases, stands, tea services, trays, toilet ware, manicure
sets, salts, peppers and mustards, serviette rings, dishes and
centrepieces as well as a range of electroplate goods.'
Samples of William Aitken’s work 1894-1921
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Chester 1894
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Chester 1895
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Chester 1898
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Chester 1899
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Chester 1899
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Chester 1900
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Chester 1901
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Birmingham 1901
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Birmingham 1902
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Birmingham 1903
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Birmingham 1904
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Birmingham 1905
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Birmingham 1906
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Birmingham 1908
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Birmingham 1909
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Birmingham 1910
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Birmingham 1911
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Birmingham 1912
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Birmingham 1913
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Birmingham 1914
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Birmingham 1915
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Birmingham 1917
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Birmingham 1918
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Birmingham 1919
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Birmingham 1920
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Birmingham 1921
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths, Jewellers and Allied
Traders 1838-1914, John Culme
Chester Gold & Silver Marks, Ridgway & Priestley
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Robert Massart
- 2010 -
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ASSOCIATION OF SMALL COLLECTORS OF ANTIQUE SILVER
