An antique sterling silver salver with engraved decoration, by John Angell and George Angell of London, circa 1845, 11.02 in. wide, 544 grams
- Sterling Silver - Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and the addition of the very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
- Salver - A plate or tray used for the formal offering of food, drink, letters or visiting cards, usually of silver plate, silver or silver-gilt. Large, heavy, oblong or oval silver salvers evolved into what we know as trays in the 18th century. Small, flat salvers are known as waiters.
- Angell Family of Silversmiths - There were a number of members of the Angell family who were silversmiths, commencing with Joseph Angell I (also expressed as Joseph Angell, Senior), and his brothers John Angell and Abraham Angell.
On the retirement of Joseph Angell I in 1948, from what had become the leading London silverware workshop, the business was taken over by his son, Joseph Angell II (also expressed as Joseph Angell, Junior), (1815 - 1891).
Joseph Angell II exhibited at the at the 1851 Great Exhibition, the 1853 New York Exhibition, and the 1862 International Exhibition winning medals at each event.
His career is marked by the rich silver items crafted and decorated with chiseling, reliefs and enamels, including trays, tea and coffee sets, jugs, centrepieces and vases
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London holds a number of silver objects by Jospeh Angell II.
- Engraving - The method of decorating or creating inscriptions on silver and other metal objects by marking the surface with a sharp instrument such as a diamond point or rotating cutting wheel.
- Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
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