This is a stunning pair of large antique Regency Period Old Sheffield George III silver plated two branch three light table candelabra, circa 1820 in date.
The candelabra feature detachable sconces and have beautiful cast shell decoration, typical of the period.
The attention to detail is absolutely fantastic and they are certain to attract attention wherever they are placed.
Condition:
In excellent condition with no dings, dents or signs of repair. Please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 57 x Width 47 x Depth 17
Dimensions in inches:
Height 1 foot, 10 inches x Width 1 foot, 6 inches x Depth 7 inches
Our reference: A1796
Old Sheffield Plate -or ‘fused plate' as it is sometimes known, was the first commercially viable method of plating metal. The material was accidentally invented byThomasBoulsover, ofSheffield'sCutlersCompany, in 1743. While trying to repair the handle of a customer's decorative knife, he heated it too much and the silver started tomelt. When he examined the damaged handle, he noticed that the silver and copper had fused together very strongly. Experiments showed that the two metals behaved as one when he tried to reshape them, even though he could clearly see two different layers.
Boulsoverset up in business, funded byStrelleyPeggeofBeauchief, and carried out further experiments in which he put a thin sheet of silver on a thick ingot of copper and heated the two together to fuse them. When the composite block was hammered or rolled to make it thinner, the two metals were reduced in thickness at similar rates. Using this method,Boulsoverwas able to make sheets of metal which had a thin layer of silver on the top surface and a thick layer of copper underneath. When this new material was used to make buttons, they looked and behaved like silver buttons but were a fraction of the cost.
The technique Boulsover developed was to sandwich an ingot of copper between two plates of silver, tightly bind it with wire, heat it in a furnace and then mill it out in to sheet, from which objects could be made.
Antiques.co.uk Ref: D8CVNMHX3
- Width (cm):
- 47
- Height (cm):
- 57
- Depth (cm):
- 17
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