Mappin Webb Biscuit
Antique 1870s English Anglo-Indian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique Late 19th Century English Egyptian Revival Sheffield and Silverp...
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Revival Decorative Boxes
Silver Plate
People Also Browsed
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Barware
Silver Plate
Antique 1890s German Dinner Plates
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Victorian Games
Gold
Antique 1890s Persian Decorative Boxes
Silver
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Glass
Cut Glass
20th Century French Floor Lamps
Crystal
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Decorative Boxes
Silver Plate
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Sterling Silver
Silver Plate
Antique Mid-19th Century Russian Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver
Vintage 1960s Persian Islamic Jewelry Boxes
Silver
Antique Early 1800s English High Victorian Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Vintage 1920s English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Early 19th Century English Egyptian Revival Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique 1890s Russian Neoclassical Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Silver, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Cigar Boxes and Humidors
Silver Plate
Vintage 1970s Italian Louis XVI Decorative Boxes
Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 1880s English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 1890s English Late Victorian Decorative Boxes
Silver Plate
Antique 1880s English Late Victorian Decorative Boxes
Vintage 1920s English Art Deco Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 1870s English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Wine Coolers
Silver
Antique 1880s English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique Mid-19th Century English Regency Sheffield and Silverplate
Crystal, Silver Plate
Vintage 1920s English Art Deco Decorative Boxes
Silver Plate
Antique 1880s English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 19th Century Boxes
Mappin & Webb for sale on 1stDibs
Appointed the Crown Jeweler in 2012, Mappin & Webb is one of the most widely recognized makers of silver and luxury goods in the world. With a roster of prestigious clients that has included six British monarchs as well as Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill and Harry Houdini, the historic firm has supplied fine jewelry and silver objects for royalty all over the globe including the Russian Imperial Household, the Siamese royal family and the Indian Maharaja.
Mappin & Webb’s origins are rooted in Jonathan Mappin’s workshop in Sheffield. He opened in 1775 with the intent to serve British society with the highest quality silverware ever made. His son and grandson, both named Joseph, carried on his vision until the mid-19th century when his four great-grandsons incorporated the business into Mappin Brothers Ltd. and embarked on a substantial expansion of the firm.
Nearing 1860, two of the great-grandsons, eldest Sir William Mappin and youngest John Mappin, left to pursue other opportunities. John opened his own business, Mappin & Company, and was joined two years later by his brother-in-law George Webb. Webb passed away in 1868 — the same year that saw the family form Mappin & Webb Co.
Webb’s name lived on in the company even after 1889 when the company became Mappin & Webb Ltd. In 1897, Mappin & Webb were granted their first Royal Warrant as silversmiths to Queen Victoria. The firm has been a holder of Royal Warrants since then.
Mappin & Webb supplied soldiers in the battle of Omdurman with their acclaimed Campaign watch. The company also supported wartime efforts during both World Wars in their enormous factory in Sheffield. Today Mappin & Webb is among the most prominent makers of Sheffield silver in the world.
Watches of Switzerland Operations Ltd. acquired Mappin & Webb in 1998 after a series of mergers and acquisitions.
Find antique Mappin & Webb serveware, decorative objects and other collectibles on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right sheffield-silverplate for You
Sheffield silverplate is a durable combination of thin silver sheets and comparatively thicker sheets of copper that was used to create a variety of household objects for years. On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate and other silverplate for all of your formal dining and entertaining needs.
A cutler named Thomas Boulsover, who worked for a cutlers company in Sheffield, England, accidentally invented what we now call Sheffield silverplate during the 1700s. While working on a decorative knife for a customer — the metalworkers guild had been tasked with repairing its handle — Boulsover mistakenly overheated the silver and noticed that the knife’s layers of silver and copper melded together, creating an impressive bond. This new material felt like silver but was substantially cheaper. It was then used to produce a variety of serveware, candlesticks, buttons, tea sets and more. For families that couldn’t afford the sterling-silver tureens that were used to serve soup in the upper-class English homes at the time, this was good news. They could impress guests with housewares that looked like sterling silver but actually weren't.
Today, just as pewter collectibles and sterling silver are popular with collectors at neighborhood flea markets, antique Sheffield silverplate housewares are sought after for their appearance and rich history. Sheffield silverplate can command high prices on the secondhand market.
Securing yourself a Sheffield silverplate piece is like acquiring a little bit of history. In order to identify authentic Sheffield silverplate, you need to look for one significant attribute of the material. A metalworker had to ensure that all of the exposed edges of a particular piece had to be covered with a rim of silver. If not, the middle layer, which comprised copper, would show through. This would reveal that the piece was not sterling silver.
Don’t just trot out your matching crystal, silver and porcelain once or twice a year. Make a habit of mixing high and low when setting the table. To pair with your everyday contemporary tableware, find antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate on 1stDibs as well as silverplate by goldsmith and tableware companies such as Christofle, Elkington & Co. and more.