Essex Jewelry and Antiques
3pc 1841 Irish Sterling Silver Melon Form Engraved Tea Set
Regular price
$2,475.00
Presented is a fine quality, 3 piece Irish sterling silver tea set made by James Fray of Dublin in 1841. This set is done in a classical Victorian style. Each body is in a melon or rounded panel form and raised on a pedestal base. The pieces are beautifully hand engraved with sinuous scrolls, latticework patterns, flowers and leaves. This set is heavy weight for its size.
This set includes:
1 Teapot: 11 inches from handle to spout and 6 1/2 inches tall.
1 Creamer: 5 1/4 inches from handle to spout and 5 3/4 inches tall.
1 Sugar Bowl: 8 5/8 inches from handle to handle and 4 1/2 inches tall.
Each piece is marked with the crowned harp and Hibernia mark for Dublin and sterling silver, the duty mark of Queen Victoria’s head, a date letter V for the year 1841 and the maker’s mark for James Fray.
This set is in very good overall condition, especially considering its age. There is a solder reinforcement to the rim of the teapot, near the hinge, but it is only noticeable upon very close inspection. The handle has had an old, solder repair near the bottom heat insulator but the handle itself is in good condition and is tight to the body. It appears that someone may have tried to buff out a monogram in the cartouches, they are worn but still slightly visible. The silver is still quite thick in the cartouches and has not been thinned too much or compromised. Other than the worn cartouches, the engravings are pretty crisp. There are no major dents, no breaks, no splits and no other repairs.
The combined weight of the set is 1433 grams or 50.5 ounces.
This set includes:
1 Teapot: 11 inches from handle to spout and 6 1/2 inches tall.
1 Creamer: 5 1/4 inches from handle to spout and 5 3/4 inches tall.
1 Sugar Bowl: 8 5/8 inches from handle to handle and 4 1/2 inches tall.
Each piece is marked with the crowned harp and Hibernia mark for Dublin and sterling silver, the duty mark of Queen Victoria’s head, a date letter V for the year 1841 and the maker’s mark for James Fray.
This set is in very good overall condition, especially considering its age. There is a solder reinforcement to the rim of the teapot, near the hinge, but it is only noticeable upon very close inspection. The handle has had an old, solder repair near the bottom heat insulator but the handle itself is in good condition and is tight to the body. It appears that someone may have tried to buff out a monogram in the cartouches, they are worn but still slightly visible. The silver is still quite thick in the cartouches and has not been thinned too much or compromised. Other than the worn cartouches, the engravings are pretty crisp. There are no major dents, no breaks, no splits and no other repairs.
The combined weight of the set is 1433 grams or 50.5 ounces.