Silver linings as bullion price rises higher
23 March 2021 In March 2020 the bullion price for a troy ounce of sterling silver was around £8.50. Fast forward to March 2021 and the melt price of silver is more than £15 an ounce.
A George II domed lidded tankard - £700-1000 at Dreweatts.
Bolstered by such a strong price, domestic silver hollowwares and flatwares are selling strongly - some of it destined for the melting pot.
However, it is the pieces of collectable value that are less prone to swings in the melt price – novelties, provincial rarities and the work of the best Georgian, Regency and Victorian smiths – that continue to perform best in the market.
Here are some forthcoming highlights from sales in the UK.
18th century Tankard
A George II domed lidded tankard, pictured above, probably by Richard Bayley, London 1737, with engraved initials D over SM, 22oz.
Estimate £700-1000 at Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, April 13.
A George III oval table centrepiece - £2500-3500 at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood
A George III oval table centrepiece by John Wakelin & Robert Garrard, London, 1795, with replaced stem by Robert Hennell III, London, 1835, 91oz. Estimate £2500-3500 at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood, Exeter, April 14-16.
A Victorian boxed silver gilt christening set, London 1895. Estimate £40-60 at Huntly Auctions, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, April 27.
A pair of Victorian novelty pepperettes - £2000-2500 at Lawrences
A pair of Victorian novelty pepperettes realistically cast as a pair of fighting cocks, with detachable heads, by EH Stockwell, London, 1883. Estimate £2000-2500 at Lawrences, Crewkerne, April 20.
A late 17th century silver filigree-mounted ‘horn’ book - £3000-5000 at Woolley & Wallis
A late 17th century silver filigree-mounted ‘horn’ book, unmarked, c.1690, inset with a panel of the alphabet letters and the Lord’s prayer, 4½in (11cm). Estimate £3000-5000 at Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury, April 27-28.