Candle snuffer and tray

1751-1764

Place madeLondon, England, Europe

Silver

Part (snuffer): 1 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 6 in., 3 oz (troy) 12 dwt (3.8 × 6.4 × 15.2 cm, 112 g)
Part (tray): 2 1/4 × 8 × 3 3/8 in., 7 oz (troy) 12.4 dwt (5.7 × 20.3 × 8.6 cm, 237 g)

Gift of G. Livingston Bayard

1964.46ab

DescriptionSilver candle snuffer and tray with scissor-form snuffer with flat, shaped arms.

Snuffer has one arm with a shaped pointed drop end and an applied pan with ogee sides and domed top. Opposite is short, scalloped arm fitted with a vertically applied conforming blade; arm also has chased decoration on the pointed end, top, and sides of pan; back of pan is engraved with foliate scrolls, shell motif, and crest of lion passant on fess; circular pivot at center of arms is chased geometric disk, and snuffer arm is also engraved with initials "HR" in Roman characters. Snuffer additionally has ovoid grips joined to the arms with cast scrolls and three cast pad feet applied to the outsides of the grips and pointed arm. Maker's hallmark and assay marks stamped at interior of snuffer blade and pan.

Scalloped hour-glass shaped tray has applied scrolled rim with scallop and leaf motifs, and has shell and scroll engraving around the inside edge of the rim. Tray has similarly engraved crest of lion passant on fess at the center of obverse. Tray is supported on four cast scroll feet applied to the base and has additional cast, open scroll handle with an acanthus grip applied to the side. Tray has four relief maker's and assay hallmarks at underside. Tray also engraved with initials "HR" in Roman characters, and at underside has scratch/weight "7 18".

MarkingsEngraved on the base of the tray are initials "HR" in Roman letters Stamped: on the base of the tray are hallmarks: crowned leopard's head in conforming surround, "q" in shield surround; "I * M" in serrated shield surround, and lion passant in conforming surround. Stamped at inside of snuffer blade and pan are obscured hallmarks: lion passant in rectangular surround; "I:B" in square surround; crowned leopard's head in a shield surround, and date/letter "h" in gothic characters.

ClassificationsSILVER