Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

Antique George III Old Sheffield Silver on Copper Basket, 18th Century

$582.43
£425
€495.83
CA$797.78
A$887.31
CHF 463.32
MX$10,797.59
NOK 5,917.36
SEK 5,549.44
DKK 3,700.58
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

This is a fabulous antique Neo-classical George III Old Sheffield plate silver on copper bread basket / fruit dish, circa 1780 in date. The oval swing handled dish features a pierced and engraved body in the Neo-Classical taste with a band of urns, leaf and swags. This item is of the highest quality with fabulous decorations ready to grace your dining table. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 29 x Width 34.5 x Depth 26 Dimensions in inches: Height 11 inches x Width 1 foot, 2 inches x Depth 10 inches Old Sheffield Plate or ‘fused plate’ as it is sometimes known, was the first commercially viable method of plating metal. The material was accidentally invented by Thomas Boulsover, of Sheffield's Cutlers Company, in 1743. While trying to repair the handle of a customer's decorative knife, he heated it too much and the silver started to melt. When he examined the damaged handle, he noticed that the silver and copper had fused together very strongly. Experiments showed that the two metals behaved as one when he tried to reshape them, even though he could clearly see two different layers. Boulsover set up in business, funded by Strelley Pegge of Beauchief, and carried out further experiments in which he put a thin sheet of silver on a thick ingot of copper and heated the two together to fuse them. When the composite block was hammered or rolled to make it thinner, the two metals were reduced in thickness at similar rates. Using this method, Boulsover was able to make sheets of metal which had a thin layer of silver on the top surface and a thick layer of copper underneath. When this new material was used to make buttons, they looked and behaved like silver buttons but were a fraction of the cost. The technique Boulsover developed was to sandwich an ingot of copper between two plates of silver, tightly bind it with wire, heat it in a furnace and then mill it out in to sheet, from which objects could be made.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 11.42 in (29 cm)Width: 13.59 in (34.5 cm)Depth: 10.24 in (26 cm)
  • Style:
    George III (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    1780-1789
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1780
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: A32261stDibs: LU950633500652

More From This Seller

View All
Antique George III Old Sheffield Silver on Copper Basket 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a fabulous antique Neo-classical George III Old Sheffield plate silver on copper bread basket / fruit dish, circa 1810 in date. The rectagular swing handled basket features ...
Category

Antique 19th Century English Neoclassical Tableware

Materials

Silver Plate, Copper

Antique Victorian Silver Plated Fruit Basket 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a stunning antique Victorian silver plated fruit basket, circa 1860 in date. The oval shaped body features fabulous engrave ...
Category

Antique 1860s English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate

Materials

Silver Plate

Antique Victorian Silver Plated Fruit Basket James Dixon 19th Century
By James Dixon & Sons
Located in London, GB
This is an exceptionally fine antique English Victorian silver plated fruit basket with hallmarks for the celebrated silversmith, James Dixo...
Category

Antique 1880s English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate

Materials

Silver Plate

Antique George III Old Sheffield Silver Plated 18th Century
Located in London, GB
This is an exquisite English antique old Sheffield plate salver, circa 1780 in date. The elegant raised pie crust border shaped salver featu...
Category

Antique 1780s English George III Sheffield and Silverplate

Materials

Sheffield Plate

Antique Victorian Silver Plated Bon Bon Dish Elkington & Co C1871 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a wonderful antique Victorian silver-plated bon-bon dish bearing makers marks for the renowned silvermiths Elkington & Co and dated 1871. The dish features beaded rim with l...
Category

Antique 1870s English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate

Materials

Silver

Antique English Edward VII Sterling Silver Fruit Bread Basket Sheffield, 1907
By Atkin Brothers
Located in London, GB
This is an exceptionally fine antique English Edwardian sterling silver fruit basket with hallmarks for Sheffield 1907 and the maker mark of Atkin Brothers. This magnificent basket has a shaped swing handle on flared shaped oblong basket and features a gadrooned rim and base which is further embellished with pierced decoration and is raised on a shaped oblong pedestal foot. There is no mistaking its unique quality and design, which is sure to make it a treasured piece by any silver collector. Condition: In excellent condition with clear hallmarks and no dings, dents or signs of repair. Please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 23 x Width 27 x Depth 23 Weight 0.68 kg Dimensions in inches: Height 9 inches x Width 11 inches x Depth 9 inches Weight 21.75 troy oz Atkin Brothers business traces his origin to Thomas Law...
Category

Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Sheffield and Silverplate

Materials

Silver Plate

You May Also Like

Antique English Sterling Silver George II Basket
Located in London, GB
A George II sterling silver bread basket, London 1750 by Samuel Herbert & Co Of shaped oval form in the Rococo style, all raised upon a cast scallop shell and C scroll foot. The rim...
Category

Antique 1750s English George II Sterling Silver

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

George II Sterling Silver Basket, London, 1747
By Edward Aldridge
Located in Cornwall, GB
A very good large silver swing handle basket of pierced oval form. The arched swing handle with two cast female busts arising from a leaf capped double C-scroll support. The cast and applied rim of shaped foliate and floral entwined decoration. The central bowl of the basket engraved with a rocaille cartouche containing an armorial. The top of the handle is decorated with a leaf form cartouche within which is the crest of a deer. The sides of the raised basket with hand cut pierced decoration. The whole standing on four cast and applied legs, decorated with a beautiful scrolling foliate design rising to high relief female faces, on leaf-form pad feet. Hallmarked to the underside for London 1747 by Edward Aldridge. The underside of the handle bears the lion passant and maker’s mark, both struck twice. This is a beautifully decorated and impressive piece of early Georgian silver...
Category

Antique 1740s British George II Sterling Silver

Materials

Sterling Silver

Antique George 111 Silver Bright Cut Sugar Basket 1794 Henry Chawner London
By Henry Chawner
Located in London, GB
Antique George 111 Silver Bright Cut Sugar Basket 1794 Henry Chawner London Beautiful example of Geo 111 Craftsmanship with superb bright cut hand engraving with bat-wing fluting i...
Category

Antique 1790s George III Sterling Silver

Materials

Sterling Silver

English Silver Small Basket by Martin, Hall & Co. Sheffield, 1910
By Martin, Hall & Co. Ltd.
Located in Delft, NL
English silver small basket by Martin, Hall & Co. Sheffield, 1910 An oval elegant small silver basket with openwork body of floral motif and roc...
Category

Early 20th Century British Sterling Silver

Materials

Silver

19th Century Silver Plated Basket with Eagle Handles
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
This 19th-century silver-plated panetière (bread basket) showcases an exquisite design that combines artistry with utility. Crafted with a silver-plated finish, its elongated oval sh...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Sheffield and Silverplate

Materials

Silver Plate

19th Century English Silver Plate Two Handled Covered Ecuelle Dish
By Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd.
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Antique octagonal shaped silver plate soup bowl with lid and pierced handles with fleur de lis motif from the English firm of Silversmiths and Goldsmiths Company of London. Underside...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate

Materials

Silver Plate