A very substantial pair of antique Georgian Old Sheffield silver plate Candlesticks 33cm C.1800

A very substantial pair of antique Georgian Old Sheffield silver plate (fused/rolled plate) Candlesticks of very grand proportions. Having markings inside candle holder but difficult to read. Probably from a stately home or very large residence.

Circa late 18th / early 19th century

Good Antique Condition – with a little wear to the silver at high points mainly around the bases, one of the covers under the sconce (drip pan) has had a little movement – uncleaned and would benefit a dip clean.

13 inches (33.5cm) height X 5.75 inches(14.8cm) dia approx

Old Sheffield Plate (or OSP/ Fused Plate/ Rolled Plate) is the name generally given to the material developed by Thomas Boulsover in the 1740s, a fusion of copper and sterling silver which could be made into a range of items normally made in solid silver. The material rapidly gained popularity as a substitute for solid silver, particularly with the aristocracy as it was much cheaper to produce. Any object made in silver could in effect be made in Old Sheffield Plate, although objects subject to heavy wear such as spoons and forks were not so satisfactory in plate.
The characteristic identifying feature of OSP is the ‘bleeding’ or ‘show through’ of the copper base, especially on points of wear although there is also a subtle difference in colour from the pure silver of electro plating to the “very faintly bluish lustre” of OSP. In addition to having a distinct bluish cast, the alloy produced in OSP is also harder than electrodeposited silver. The material remained popular until being replaced by the electroplating process in the 1840s which is known as the transition years.
History of Old Sheffield Plate, Being an Account of the Origin, Growth, and Decay of the Industry etc etc, Frederick Bradbury, 1912. Although published in the early 20th Century, Bradbury is still a valuable source of information, as he was the owner of a plate making company hence directly involved in the trade. Particularly valuable for the lists of OSP Makers Marks.

Old Sheffield Plate Shire Album 222, 1988. Concise guide to OSP with numerous illustrations, authored by Anneke Bambery, a former Keeper of Applied Art at Sheffield City Museum which holds an extensive collection of OSP, including the Bradbury collection.

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