1870s English Silver Mother of Pearl Dessert Set - 23 Piece Set

Description

Handcrafted in the 19th century by silversmiths in Sheffield, England. This exquisite set is 23 pieces, short one knife. The … more Handcrafted in the 19th century by silversmiths in Sheffield, England. This exquisite set is 23 pieces, short one knife. The detailing on the blades and on the necks of the forks is seldom seen. Each bit of decoration was worked into the metal by hand. The hand engraving on the metal of the knives and the forks is very distinctive and seldom seen. This was an extraordinary pricey set in the 19th century and clearly meant for dessert. The blades of the knives have a rounded end and the forks have long sharp tones, meant for easy piercing of the crusts found in most Victorian desserts. Usually mop handle sets have some dry splits and loose ferrules, but this set is solid, ferrules tight, handles firmly anchored to their working ends. Marked by the silversmiths at Lee & Wigfull with the L&W mark, an anchor, and the S for Sheffield. No, they are not perfect. There are marks on some blades and of course there is the issue of a missing knife. Sigh. After well over a century, we must consider the wear to be minimal. The forks measure 6 3/8” and the knives are 7 3/4”. less