A beautiful and highly collectible Georgian era sterling silver vinaigrette pendant made by John Bettridge and stamped with a full set of hallmarks for the year 1830. The assay stamps which include the head of King William VI (the duty mark) make this a fairly rare piece. William only reigned for 7 short years (1830-1837) before he died and his head was replaced with that of his niece the new Queen, Victoria.
A quality piece by a highly regarded Birmingham silversmith who specialised in small boxes and vinaigrettes it is beautifully hand-crafted with chasing and engraving in charming patterns, a different one on each side. The hinged top opens to reveal a gold gilded interior and a hinged grille which is pierced in a rhombus design. Incredibly, her original sponge still nestles inside ready to soak in your favourite scent.
This vinaigrette has a bale and suspension ring at the top so that it can be worn on a watch or chatelaine chain and kept close to hand, indispensable to ward of the noxious odours of the period!
Steeped in history and social culture this beautiful vinaigrette will look wonderful paired with a substantial silver chain to match her character. A fine gift for the collector!
MATERIALS: sterling silver, gold
MEASUREMENTS: 1-1/2" (4cm) tall measured with the bale and ring, the box is 1-1/8" by 5/8" (3x2cm), 8.4mm deep
DATE: dated 1830
WEIGHT: 8.7 grams
HALLMARKS: stamped inside front 'William IV head' duty mark, 'IB' makers mark for John Bettridge and 'lion passant' for sterling. Stamped inside back 'anchor' for Birmingham, 'IB' makers mark for John Bettridge and 'date letter G' for 1830.
CONDITION: in very, very good antique condition with just the light surface wear and tooling marks that you would expect given age and use but no holes or splits. The exterior engraving is still beautifully crisp and the interior gold gilding is still lovely and bright. The lid and grille remain well fitted and close tightly.
At Mercy Madge we offer quality antique and vintage jewellery sourced in Great Britain. All of our pieces are professionally cleaned and polished so they are ready to wear or give as a gift.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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* Returns - you can return your item for a full refund for any reason. Just get in touch within 3 days of receiving your order and return it within 7 days.
* Discount - find special discount and no sales tax on our website at www.mercymadge.com
* All gemstones have been tested and verified using a Presidium Gemstone Tester. All measurements and carat weights given are approximations.
* Our photographs have been taken in extreme close up to show you every tiny detail. This often means that any flaws or damage which you can see on the photos will be invisible when viewed normally with the eye. This can also mean that the item can appear larger on the screen than it is in person, so please be sure to read our written description to double check all sizes and dimensions.
* Buying a gift? – your item will arrive gift wrapped in a custom Mercy Madge jewellery box. Please note, unless otherwise stated antique boxes in our photos are for display only and are not included in the purchase.
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Materials: Sterling Silver, Gold.