Object Description
This is a superb quality decorative antique silver plated ice bucket or wine cooler by the renowned silversmiths Elkington, Mason & Co, dated 1849.
The cooler is of campana baluster facetted form with flared rim and superb embossed and engraved decoration. It is raised on four shaped feet and has a pair of beaded handles amd the interior retains it’s original gilding..
The attention to detail is absolutely fantastic and it is certain to attract attention wherever it is placed.
Condition:
In excellent condition with clear makers marks and no dings, dents or signs of repair. Please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 28 cm x Width 27 cm x Depth 25 cm
Dimensions in inches:
Height 11 inches x Width 11 inches x Depth 10 inches
Elkington, Mason & Co.
was a prominent 19th-century English silver manufacturing partnership based in Birmingham, operating under this specific name from 1842 to 1861. Founded by George Richards Elkington and his brother Henry, the firm revolutionized the silver industry by patenting the world’s first commercial electroplating process in 1840.
The partnership with wealthy pen-manufacturer and financier Josiah Mason in 1842 fuelled a massive expansion of the company’s Newhall Street works, pushing the firm into the mass production of affordable electroplated jewellery, flatware, and ornate Victorian silver pieces. The company held multiple Royal Warrants (including for Queen Victoria) and became known for masterpieces like the electrotype reproduction of the Jerningham Wine Cooler.
When Josiah Mason departed in 1861, the business reverted to its original name, Elkington & Co., and continued operating independently until being absorbed into British Silverware Ltd. in the 1960s
Our reference: A5337