52 piece Queens Pattern Canteen, 1860

52 piece Queen's Pattern Canteen of Silver Cutlery, London 1860 to 1873 and Sheffield 1937 

This is a fantastic silver canteen in the highly sought after Queen’s Pattern. The service provides for eight pieces per 6 place settings with 4 good sized serving spoons.

All the spoons and forks were hand-wrought in the traditional fashion of the London silversmiths and have double-struck decoration in high relief. They were made during the 1860’s and 1870’s in the premier workshops of George Adams (Chawner & Company) and Francis Higgins. Except for two monogrammed teaspoons, each piece of flatware bears the same very good engraved armorial to the front terminal.

The 18 silver handled knives are all hallmarked for Sheffield 1937 by Eugene Leclere, with the name also engraved to the stainless steel blades. These knives bear no engravings. An additional bonus are the 6 forks (with filled handles) that are hallmarked Birmingham 1880 to the monogrammed silver handles and also to the silver tines. The presence of these forks and the smallest of the knives allow for a separate course to be catered for: either a starter or cheese & fruit course.

Queen's Pattern

Queen’s Pattern was first in fashion in the 1820’s and has similarities in shape to King’s Pattern but has more ornate decoration and an anthemion motif to the reverse of the bowls. It was named in honour of Queen Caroline of Brunswick (King George IV’s wife). The highly ornate decoration found on Queen’s Pattern demands that each piece is made with a thick gauge of silver and thus makes it one of the most prestigious of all flatware patterns. 

Components

This 68-piece service consists of the following:

Total weight of weighable silver 1910 grams (61.4 troy ounces). Additional to this weight are the 18 silver handled knives and 6 forks with filled knife handles.

Condition

Excellent polished condition throughout. The forks tines are full length (very tiny wear to outer tines on some) and the spoon bowls remain unworn.

Presentation

This canteen is presented within an attractive 1930’s bow-fronted wooden box with inlaid motif to the centre top. I suspect that at some time during the 1930’s, the knives were added to the service and the whole lot housed together in this box. The original key is still present. The box measures 45.5cm wide x 33cm deep x 9cm high and has the knives slotted in to the lid.

As with all our canteens, we are happy to send a sample place setting on receipt of a surety payment.