Mortimer & Hunt Pair of English Sterling Silver Antique Wine Coasters, London - 1841/42

This pair of early Victorian sterling and mahogany wine coasters or decanter stands is exceptional. The everted rims are beautifully designed and executed. The innermost part is a thick vine encircling the upper edge. Cascading out are 3-dimensional vines with bunches of grapes amongst leaves. The interior bases are replaced beautiful turned mahogany inserts fitted into their stands. Three rare, original caster feet are attached to the bases.

Mortimer & Hunt(1839-1843) were successors to 'Storr & Mortimer, Goldsmiths and Jewellers to Her Majesty' (1822-1839). The famous silversmith Paul Storr founded the company in 1792 under the name Storr & Co. and took John Mortimer as a partner in 1822 and John Samuel Hunt, Storr's nephew (who had been working for Storr as a silversmith since 1810), as a third partner in 1826.

When Paul Storr retired from the firm on December 31, 1838, John Samuel Hunt's son John Hunt became a third partner and they did business as Mortimer & Hunt. They continued to be one of Europe's finest silversmithing firms, selling to Queen Victoria and many members of Europe's royal and aristocratic families and exhibiting at important international exhibitions including the 'Crystal Palace' exhibition of 1851.

These stunning coasters are fully hallmarked around the edges of the bases 'MORTIMER & HUNT/ LONDON/ 614'. The edges are also marked with their silver scratch weights of 28.10 on one and 28.5 on the other. They are also marked 'No 17' on one and 'No 22' on the other which indicates they came from a very large and important service. To think there were at least 22 of these coasters is remarkable. They measure 8 inches in diameter by 1.75 inches high and are in excellent antique condition with restored bases.