Hallmarks -- England; Plate -- Collectors and collecting; Sheffield plate
Finely chased and pierced. Threaded and plain edges. Date about 1790.
Pierced and chased with bead edges and shaped top. Date about 1785.
Finely pierced in classic style with bead edges. Date about 1785.
Octagonal in shape; pierced design with straight thread edges. Date
about 1790.
(_In the collection of B. B. Harrison, Esq._)]
The four examples illustrated (p. 167) illustrate types which were
being made from 1785 to 1790. They are all from pairs, and each
exhibits representative features. The earlier form was not quite
so deep as is found in later coasters. In later examples the height
is twice that of the earliest type. Perhaps it was found that bottles
or decanters were apt to fall over as the evening wore on, but it
is certain that the protective guard became higher, and some of the
tallest can be used quite comfortably nowadays to hold a syphon of
soda. The elaborate pierced floriate work in the 1785 Coaster (p. 167)
is classical in character, and it has bead edges and stands as an
excellent piece of workmanship. The adjacent example, 1790, is seen to
be taller though still not so tall as were made at a later date, in the
decadence. The pierced work is less effective and may be compared with
some of the designs on what are known as Irish dish rings or potato
rings. It has threaded and plain edges.
A departure from the circular top is shown in the lower example, of
1785 in date, with pierced and chased work of rosettes and festoons.
Its broken curved top rim is decorated with bead edges. The other
octagonal shaped specimen, in date 1790, is pierced in reticent manner
corresponding with its geometric form, and has straight thread edges.
[Illustrations: OLD SHEFFIELD PLATED COASTERS.
With broad beaded pattern: having turned wooden bottom with silver boss
in centre. Date 1810. Diameter 5⅞ in.
Vertically fluted: with moulded border of scroll design. Turned wooden
bottom with plated boss in centre. Date 1815. Diameter 6⅛ in.
(_At the Sheffield Public Museum._)
(_By permission of the Corporation of Sheffield._)]
[Illustration: OLD SHEFFIELD PLATED COASTERS.
Circular bases with turned wooden bottoms. Rims with gadrooned edges
terminating in four raised scroll ornaments. Date 1805.
(_In the collection of G. H. Wallis, Esq., F.S.A._)]
At the opening of the nineteenth century new forms came into vogue, the
pair of Coasters illustrated (p. 169) are of an unusual design where
four scrolls ornament the rims. These scrolls have the suggestion of
French First Empire decorative work found in domestic ornament and
embodying bronze work sphinxes, griffons and other bold designs adapted
reminiscent of Herculaneum. These coasters have turned wooden bottoms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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