A Fine Sheffield Standish c1790
Directory: Antiques: Decorative Art: Metals: Silver: Pre 1800: Item # 1386315
Please refer to our stock # s236 when inquiring.
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New York, New York 10128
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A besutiful and exceptional old Sheffield standish, the tray ornately wrought with scallop shell and foliage motifs, raised on 4 curving feet with similar work. Within the tray are the following separate components: two silver square ink bottle holders, two heavy cut glass ink bottles; two silver ink bottle lids, a round silver chamberstick holder, a silver chamberstick wrought with groove and scallop designs, a silver bobeche for the chamberstick, and a silver snuffer.
The construction of this piece is quite interesting, with two removable long pins on the underside of the tray. These pins slide through holes in flaps and through protruding tabs from the holders above the tray, this firmly holding all the base components in place. All told there are 13 pieces in the standish.
The condition of this superb example is excellent, with no dents and only a few small and unobtrusive areas of "bleeding", mostly on the inkwell covers. The chamberstick appears to be slightly tilted in the photos, but that is due to it not being properly set into its base for the photos. A tap of the finger corrects this. The length of the tray is 12 3/4", the width is 9" and the overall height of the piece is 5 1/2", with a weight of about 4 pounds.
It is quite rare to find an example of this quality, with the elaborate work and construction, and with all original components present and in almost pristine condition.
