A skillet. A spice box. A quaich. Important Collection of Early Silver comes to Auction

16th April 2026

A connoisseur’s collection of early silver, (Lots 302-313) in the Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu sale on 28^th & 29^th April, brings together a Charles II skillet, a Queen Anne quaich, a James I spice or sugar box and a suite of three George II silver tea caddies. Crafted by leading British silversmiths of their time, these functional objects are imbued with stories of the past, many of them documented and included in public exhibitions.

A skillet, a small, portable cooking pot with legs, was used for warming food over hot embers. A rare Charles II silver skillet by Francis Leake, London 1665 (Lot 311), bears an armorial shield and includes a pull off cover ‘of bleeding bowl form’. The name of the cover hints at its dual purpose, as it would have been used for both medical bloodletting and, more commonly, for dining on thick soups, broths, or porridge. Wrought in silver, the humble skillet here is transformed into a display of wealth and prestige following the austere Commonwealth period. 

An unusual James I silver sugar or spice box, probably by Thomas Jempson, London 1616 (Lot 313), is modelled as a scallop shell and set on four charming ‘snail’ feet. By family repute, it once belonged to London diarist Samuel Pepys.

The quaich, a traditional two-handled Scottish drinking cup, was historically used at clan gatherings to offer a welcoming drink of whisky or brandy. A rare Queen Anne Scottish quaich by Robert Inglis, Edinburgh 1713 (Lot 310) is incised with engraved tulips and roses and has connections to the Marquis of Breadalbane.

A suite of three George II silver tea caddies by Christian Hillan, London 1739 (Lot 308), decorated with chased scroll, foliate and shell decoration has an inscription; ‘Eliza Le Sage Clement The Gift of Her Aunt Le Sage’. The caddies fit into a velvet lined shagreen case secured with a lock and key. The caddies were likely a gift to Eliza Le Sage Clement (1813-1888), who was descended from the renowned Le Sage family of Huguenot silversmiths. Elsewhere in the collection are two important 16^th century cups dating from the reign of Elizabeth I (Lot 305 and Lot 312). The latter is a fine Elizabeth I parcel-gilt silver chalice dated 1561.

"The majority of the collection of early silver was purchased in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s and has been in the same family collection since then. It's the first time that some of the pieces have come onto the open market in ninety years."
Silver specialist Rupert Slingsby said.

Other private collections:

Earlier in the sale, is a private collection of contemporary silver by International and British silversmiths including Hiroshi Suzuki, Takeshi Igawa, Miriam Hanid, Ian Calvert and Jane Short, (Lots 169- 175). Proceeds from these lots will be gifted to the UK's leading youth homelessness charity Centrepoint. There is also a notable private collection of historic objects of vertu (Lots 223-626), the Graham Hamilton Andrews Wine label collection (lots 66-91), a collection of desk accessories and Part 4 of the Micheal Baggott silver collection, comprising of additional items that have been unearthed by the family.

*Overall the two day Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu sale totalled over £1million (including buyer's premium)