Antique Silver Snuffers and Tray by Paul Storr, England 1812 - 1834.

Object Description

A fine quality pair of antique silver candle scissors on stand. Excellent quality and good gauge silver as you’d expect from the world famous English silversmith Paul Storr. The scissor stand has an elongated boat form with a gadroon border and acanthus leaf side handles. The candle douter and wick trimmer has a simple open and shut mechanism, the pointed end was used to loosen and remove candle stubs from the socket. Both pieces bear an attractive hand engraved crest.

Tray. Weight 321g. Length 26.5cm. Width 11.2cm. London 1812.
Scissors. Weight 146g. Length 16.8cm. London 1834.
Both pieces are by the maker Paul Storr.
Sterling silver.

Marks. The snuffer tray is stamped underneath with a full set of English silver hallmarks for 1812. The candle snuffer scissors are fully marked to one side for London 1834, the other side with maker, lion and king marks. The tray has a pattern number 669 or 699.

Maker: Paul Storr

Paul Storr (28 October 1770 – 18 March 1844 ), was one of the most talented silversmiths of the late Georgian period. Today his legacy of exceptionally well crafted silver can be found worldwide in museums and private collections.

Son of Thomas Storr, a silver chaser, apprenticed 1785 to Andrew Fogelberg. First mark, as plateworker, in partnership with William Frisbee 1792. Second mark alone 1793. 3rd mark 1793. 4th mark 1794. 5th mark 1799. Subsequent 6th – 12th marks entered 1807-1834.

By the beginning of the nineteenth century, established as one of London’s top silversmiths, he was producing commissions for Royalty. In 1801 he married Elizabeth Susanna Beyer with whom he was to have ten children. In 1807 Paul Storr entered into a working relationship with Philip Rundell and by 1811 was a partner, and managing the workshops for Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. During this period he kept his own marks and separate workshop, however Rundell, Bridge & Rundell were appointed Goldsmith in Ordinary to George III in 1804, and through them his reputation as a master silversmith grew.

His talents lay in being able to transform ideas and designs from Rundell, Bridge & Rundell’s designers, William Theed II and later John Flaxman II. Rundell, Bridge & Rundell’s reputation grew due to the subsequent patronage of the Prince Regent (later George IV). Storr left RUNDELL, BRIDGE & RUNDELL in 1819 and went into partnership with John Mortimer, the assistant of a retiring retail goldsmith and jeweller, WILLIAM GRAY, of 13 New Bond Street. The firm was renamed STORR & MORTIMER and Storr concentrated on the manufacture of goods for Mortimer to sell in the shop at 13 New Bond Street. Storr and Mortimer, now manufacturing and retail goldsmiths, jewellers and silversmiths with an influential clientele, moved to 156, New Bond Street, in 1838. Storr retired to Tooting in 1839 and died in 1844.

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Object Literature

There were few snuffers made prior to 1700 and by the early nineteenth century more refined candles were introduced which no longer required the wick to be cut. Additional information available at http://www.oldandinteresting.com/tallow-candles-snuffers.aspx. Snuffers and trays were usually made by different specialists so even though the dates match, the makers will probably be different.

Object Condition

The snuffer and tray are both in good condition with a little wear from use through the years. The scissors open and shut well. The pan has slight pitting to the surface and there’s a slight bruise to one end, maybe originally the pan was hung from a hook?

Object Details