Object Description
A rare pair of antique English silver candlesticks from the early 1700’s. Britannia standard silver*. Very solid cast silver with octagonal form and baluster columns. Lovely plain style in keeping with the period. Each stick bears a hand engraved lion crest, for the Turnor family, on the base. Excellent colour.
Weight 707 grams, 22.7 troy ounces.
Height 17.5 cms. Base 10.3 cms square.
London 1713.
Made by Thomas Folkingham.
These make a matching set of four with #9770.
*Britannia Standard. In 1696, so extensive had become the melting and clipping of coinage that the silversmiths were forbidden to use the sterling standard for their wares, but had to use a new higher standard, 95.8 per cent. New hallmarks were ordered, “the figure of a woman commonly called Britannia” and the lion’s head erased (torn off at the neck) replacing the lion passant and the leopard’s head crowned. This continued until the old standard of 92.5 per cent was restored in 1720. Britannia standard silver still continues to be produced even today.