19thC Silver-plate Stand & Glass Decanters

high quality figural Georgian two bottle decanter caddy in the finest silver plate as well as containing original engraved cut crystal bottles , the caddy (sometimes inaccurately described as a tantalus) is an example of the finest metal work from Electro-Plated Nickel Silver made by John Harrison and Sons at their Norfolk Works at 116-122 Scotland Street, Sheffield.

The caddy rests on four beautiful well cast and detailed shield and scroll formed feet. The platen is shaped to conform to the round base of the bottles and is edged in a fine beaded pattern, the upper structure is fitted with a conforming gallery that securely accommodates the two period decanters, raised upon four highly detailed and superbly cast griffon-grotesque supports, attached to a column that rises to the ring carrying handle, the column and ring all being detailed with channels and beading.

John Harrison was an important maker as they were the first Sheffield manufacturer to take out an electro-plate licence (the fourth granted in the UK) from the patent-holder, Elkington of Birmingham. For this reason along with it's design and quality we consider this to be an important example of this type of item.

The mark on the bottom of the decanter caddy was used between the years 1843 and 1865. We date this set to the late Georgian early Victorian era around 1850.

The two decanters are finely as well as interestingly engraved with the neck and shoulder having a plain vertical hexagonal facet cut.

The Caddy is in very good antique condition considering its age. There are a couple of tiny areas of plate loss under each of the bottles(see photos). The original bottles are in very good condition, stoppers all original, a small nick to the edge of one bottle neck is the only issue to report. The latter could be easily polished out (we leave the decision to restore any item to 'as new' at the discretion of the buyer)

Dimensions:
Caddy:
Length – 30cms
Width (at widest part) – 15cms
Height (to top of handle) – 36cms
Decanters
Height – 28cms
Width – 10cms

This weighs all in, unpacked at 2.4 kg

Historical Notes:
Less than a month after the Elkington licence was granted, Harrison was advertising in the local press, ‘Re-plating Old Plated Goods, with Elkington’s Patent, making them equal to new.’ Harrison developed a range of tableware for home and export, including dessert knives and fish carvers. He registered a second silver mark from Norfolk Works, Scotland Street, in 1844 (further marks were registered in 1866, 1880, 1883). The business soon had competitors, including Walker and Hall (part-founded by George Walker, whom Harrison had employed as an assistant and sent to Elkington’s factory to learn electro-plating). But Harrison’s company prospered: it was a regular advertiser in the trade press and had London and Glasgow agents. John Harrison displayed a wide range of electro-plated products at the Great Exhibition (1851).