1858 Victorian Solid Silver Swing Handle, Pierced Openwork Pedestal Bowl 201.21g

  
1858 Victorian Solid Silver Pierced Body Basket, Pedestal Base. Fully Hallmarked Martin Hall & Co.. This is a lovely basket with pierced body and twist handle, and an open cartouche (no monogram).

The basket stands straight and does not lean, the handle is still very easy to move and is very secure. The pierced body is in good condition, with minor light scratching that will polish out, and as is usual with pierced items that are difficult to polish without catching on the cloth and slightly bending the piercings, there are some very minor faults these are not noticeable and do not detract from this lovely item which is now approaching 165 years old. Fully Hallmarked with young Victoria's head and the old Sheffield crown. Height to top of the handle 16.5" (6.5").

Height to the rim 9.5cm (3.75). Diameter of the top 13cm (5). Diameter of the pedestal base 8cm (3.25). The origin of the firm is in the partnership established in 1820 in Sheffield by Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts who traded as Wilkinson & Roberts. Wilkinson left the business in 1836 and in 1846 John Roberts entered in partnership with Ebenezer Hall (his apprentice in 1836) under the style Roberts & Hall.

In 1854 entered into the partnership Richard Martin (of Martin Brothers & Naylor) and Joshua Hall (brother of Ebenezer Hall) under the style Martin, Hall & Co. In 1866 the firm was converted into a Ltd. The factory was active at Shrewsbury Works, Broad Street Park, Sheffield with showrooms in London (where they were listed as manufacturing silversmiths and electroplated manufacturers, silver, plated and steel cutlers), Sydney, Birmingham and Glasgow. The firm participated to the 1851 Great Exhibition, the Internation Exhibition (1862), the Sydney Exhibition (1879), the Melboune Exhibition (1881) and the 1915 British Industries Fair. Besides its sterling silver and electroplated items the firm had a successful cheap line of production on a patented white metal called "Martinoid". Items made by Martin, Hall & Co were retailed by Wordley & Co - Liverpool, Ball & Edwards - Birmingham, Henry Ellis & Son - Exeter, Charles Nephew & Co - Calcutta, West & Son - Dublin, Goldsmiths Alliance Ltd - Cornhill, Pearce & Co - Leeds, Mappin Brothers - London, George Edward & Sons - Glasgow, James Aitchinson - Edinburgh, Mackay & Chisholm - Edinburgh and many other firms. Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts (1820). Martin Hall & Co (1854).