An exceptional antique sterling silver wax jack with a scissor action and pierced drip pan. Good early date. The tall column supports a coil of wax, the end of which is held in place in the centre of the drip pan. Weight including wax 239 grams, 7 troy ounces. Height 14.8cm. Spread across scissors 12.6cm. London 1771. Maker probably Suzanne Barker.
Literature: The Wax Jack was a container or frame holding a long coiled taper treated with wax (sometimes turpentine). The wax was lit to melt the sealing wax used to fasten letters and documents and usually a personal seal was pressed into the hot wax to leave a personal identification. After the wax hardened it was virtually impossible to open the letter without breaking the wax seal. The wax jack could also used as a portable light such as the chamber stick or go to bed.
The wax jack is in good condition with no damage or restoration. Full silver hallmarks are struck to the underside and a lion passant to the handle - all very clear. The spring action still works ok.
Please note that this item is not new and will show moderate signs of wear commensurate with age. Reflections in the photograph may detract from the true representation of this item.
“waxantiques” is a family business run by husband and wife team Lou and Ann Wax.
Our shared interest in antiques led us to change career and start dealing in general antiques shortly after we married. We spent many happy years selling at the world famous Bermondsey antiques market and at the larger UK fairs. As the years progressed our interest became more focused on antique silverware and its domestic history and twenty five years ago we moved on to Camden Passage to open our specialist silver store “waxantiques”.
In 2018 we finally made our move to the London Silver Vaults.
Our website www.waxantiques.com launched in 2011 now accounts for a substantial and growing proportion of the business to the extent where Ann needs to concentrate on maintaining our online presence, while Lou is responsible for the day to day running of the shop and customer liaison.
We are fortunate indeed to have a career which allows us to handle such lovely items, many of which would not be out of place in a museum environment. Perhaps best of all is that it keeps us in contact with customers from all over the world, many of whom we count as good friends as well as colleagues.