Bailey & Co Antique Sterling Silver Child's Cup, Philadelphia, PA, 1855

This stunning child's cup features beautiful engraving. A scroll handle is applied to the cup engraved with flowing foliate design. Each side is further engraved with one side displaying two pheasants and the other a dog. The front is engraved 'J. M. Howard/ From his Father/ 1855'.

Applied around the top rim is a row of bold beading. The pedestal foot has an applied band of Greek key decoration. The base bears a later inscription 'Nancy Bryan Blair/ From her namesake/ Octr 3, 1942'.

This wonderful cup measure 4 inches across the handle and body by 4 inches high, weighs 4.45 troy ounces and is in very good/ excellent antique condition with minor bumps to the handle and very crisp engraving. It is marked with the 'lion, "S", shield' trademark that Bailey & Co. used on their sterling silver, two lion passant marks and 'BAILEY & CO'.

While it is unknown precisely when in the 1850's George Sharp become the foreman at Bailey & Co.'s silver shop, this piece may have been made under his direction before he started his independent shop in 1861 or 62.  (See here for more info about Sharp and Bailey.)