A VERY FINE LARGE OVAL “OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE” TRAY

A particularly impressive and quite rare large Old Sheffield Plate* tray in good original condition. Measuring 28ins (71cms) across the handles, it features applied gadroon decoration around the rim, interspersed with shells and matching cast carrying handles. To the centre is a fine Coat-of-Arms engraved into a solid silver inset, which includes the motto in Latin: “Manus Justa Hardus: (“A Just and Hard hand” is an approximate translation). English circa 1780-1800.

* Old Sheffield Plate is not silver-plating in the modern sense.  Silver was very expensive in the 18th century and the process, invented by James Boulsover in 1743, was created to provide a cheaper alternative to hallmarked silver, but which looked exactly like the real thing. 

It involved creating a ‘brick’ of copper between two quite thick layers of silver. This was then heated and rolled out, to form thin sheets which had the characteristic of retaining the same proportions of silver and copper as the original brick. Bit like a large fine “Liquorice All-Sorts” perhaps!  Objects were then fashioned from these sheets, the edges turned-over so that the copper core could not be seen. 

The problem of engraving a Coat-of-Arms or crest, without showing the copper core, was resolved by letting-in a panel of solid silver to the centre, as can clearly be seen in this fine example.  Old Sheffield Plate is highly regarded and collected; it has a much ‘softer’ look than the electro-plated pieces that followed in abundance during Victorian and later times. 

*** Please note that this tray is not on view in the shop; for further details telephone 07860 818212 or e-mail in the normal way.