An early antique silver sparrow beak jug with a compact body and wire rimmed foot. Good plain style and colour. Contains 180 ml. Weight 89 grams, 2.9 troy ounces. Height 9.6cm. Spread 8.5cm across the top. Sterling silver. London 1729. Maker Humphrey Payne.
Literature: Milk and cream were not commonly taken in tea and coffee until the early eighteenth century. The earliest form of milk jug was introduced during the Queen Anne period and was shaped like a coffee pot with a hinged lid. By the 1720's there were smaller cream jugs without lids.
This charming little jug is in very good condition with no damage or restoration. With a full set of clear English silver hallmarks marks underneath.
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.