About this lot

Description

the first with plain oval bowl, set in the centre with a James II threepence dated 1687, turned wooden handle with silver terminal, overall length 32cm; the second, probably George II (hallmarks rubbed) with fluted double pouring lipped bowl and turned wooden handle, overall length 36cm, crested and engraved '2=11`; the third with oval pouring lipped bowl, set in the centre with a George III shilling dated 1787, twisted baleen handle topped with a silver terminal, overall length 36cm, monogrammed; the fourth by Elizabeth Morley, London 1805, with reeded edged oval pouring lip bowl and twisted baleen handle topped with a silver terminal, overall length 40cm (4)

Footnote: Punch ladles which incorporate silver coins in the base of the bowls are rarely hallmarked and without a hallmark it is impossible to put an exact date on these pieces. The coin should not be taken as a guide as to the age of the piece and dating should rely on the style and characteristics of the ladle itself. This style of ladle was made by beating out a silver coin into the shape of the bowl. Silversmiths started using silver coins instead of sheet silver when the wholesale silver price was greater than the face value of the coins in their pocket - and so it would have been cheaper to use coins than to buy the same weight in new silver. Of course, destroying the coin of the realm in this manner was illegal, so the finished piece could not be submitted for hallmarking as it is likely that they would have been confiscated and destroyed.

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