George I Antique Silver Tapersticks

Object Description

A delightful pair of little antique silver taper sticks with the plain hexagonal design typical of the early 1700’s. Cast silver.

Total weight 235 grams, 7.5 troy ounces.
Height 11.4cm. Base measures 7 x 8cm.
London 1724.
Maker John Bache.
Britannia standard silver – 95.8% purity*.
18th century.

Marks. Stamped underneath in the corners with English silver hallmarks. for London 1721. Also engraved below are the owner’s initials “B” over “R*E” and the scratchweight.

Maker: John Bache

John Bache, London silversmith, apprenticed to William Harrison 1673, free 1680. Court 1703, warden 1718, 1722-3, prime warden1726. 1st mark as largeworker in partnership with William Denny, circa 1697 (on commencement of register). 2nd mark alone 1700. 3rd mark (sterling) 1720. Known also as Backe or Batch.

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Object Literature

Tapersticks, averaging about 5 inches high are miniature table candlesticks used to hold a wax taper. They are rarer than candlesticks and very few exist prior to the Queen Anne period. They usually appear in singles and pairs of tapersticks command a premium price.

*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.

Object Condition

These lovely tapersticks are in very good condition with no damage or restoration. Excellent patina. They show small signs of wear in keeping with their age.

Object Details