Tina : Sterling Silver
Tina Presents
Presentation Script
Good day, discerning collectors. Presented here is an elegant English sterling silver three-piece tea set, hallmarked in London for the year 1821, during the early George IV period. Comprising a teapot, sugar bowl, and creamer, this ensemble reflects the enduring influence of Neoclassical design in the early 19th century. Each piece displays a squat, rounded form accented by a finely chased band of floral and foliate ornament. The cast feet lend visual lift and refinement, while the gilded interiors of the sugar bowl and creamer add both luxury and practical resistance to corrosion. The teapot’s insulated handle, fitted with light-colored spacers likely of bone or ivory, demonstrates thoughtful craftsmanship intended for everyday use. The hallmarks are complete and crisply struck, including the lion passant for sterling silver, the crowned leopard’s head for London, the monarch’s head duty mark, and the Roman lowercase date letter ‘f,’ which corresponds to the assay year 1821. The maker’s mark ‘SR’ is attributable to Solomon Royes, active in London during this period. Condition is excellent for a piece over two centuries old. The set exhibits only light surface wear consistent with age and careful use, with no significant dents or visible repairs. The clarity of the marks and the integrity of the forms further enhance its desirability. Based on comparable examples of early 19th-century London sterling tea sets, the auction value is reasonably estimated at £2,000 to £4,000 ($2,500 to $5,000 USD). This is a refined and historically grounded example of English silver from 1821—an attractive and substantial addition to any serious collection.
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Item Report
English George IV Period Sterling Silver Three-Piece Tea Set (London, 1821)
Owner: Danny A.
Merge Reports: Yes (reconciled). Approval remains manual.
By: Solomon Royes (maker's mark 'SR')
Style: George IV / Neoclassical
Origin: England
Materials: Sterling silver, gilded interior (sugar bowl, creamer), insulated handle with light-colored spacers (likely bone or ivory)
Age: Hallmarked 1821 (George IV Period)
Condition: Excellent (minor surface wear consistent with age, clear and well-struck hallmarks, no significant dents or repairs visible)
Value: Authentic: £2,000 - £4,000 ($2,500 - $5,000 USD); Reproduction: £200 - £400 ($250 - $500 USD)
Peer-Reviewed Market Values
- Dating Range
- Pending structured dating
- Auction Liquidation
- Pending structured market values
- Fair Market Value
- Pending structured market values
- Replacement Value
- Pending structured market values
- Comparables Used
- No saved comparables yet
- Research Confidence
- Insufficient Data
Peer review completed, but this run did not return structured market value ranges.
Maker's Marks / Writing: Maker's mark 'SR' (Solomon Royes), lion passant (sterling standard), crowned leopard's head (London assay office), monarch's head duty mark, Roman lowercase date letter 'f' for 1821.
Date: 2026-06-22 03:01:55.840122
Description:
A refined three-piece sterling silver tea set, comprising a teapot, a sugar bowl, and a creamer, hallmarked in London for the year 1821. Each piece features a squat, rounded body adorned with a finely chased band of floral and foliate motifs in the Neoclassical taste. The set stands on four ornate cast feet, and the sugar bowl and creamer boast luxurious gilded interiors. The teapot is fitted with a hinged lid topped with a decorative finial and an insulated handle with light-colored spacers, likely bone or ivory, for practical use.
Curator Questions
Curated by Jade
Assessment:
This is a beautiful and authentic English George IV period sterling silver tea set, hallmarked for London in 1821 and bearing the maker’s mark of Solomon Royes. The crisp and complete suite of hallmarks provides definitive dating and attribution. The Neoclassical design, combined with the quality of craftsmanship and excellent condition, makes it a highly desirable collector’s piece from the early 19th century.
Individual Images:
- whole tea set front view
- whole tea set angled view
- whole teapot side view
- teapot lid open
- detail of hallmarks
- closeup of hallmarks
- detail of teapot handle
- underside of teapot
Provenance:
N/A
Condition:
Excellent (minor surface wear consistent with age, clear and well-struck hallmarks, no significant dents or repairs visible)
Identification Score: 100%
The full and clearly legible set of English sterling silver hallmarks—including the maker's mark 'SR', the lion passant for sterling standard, the crowned leopard's head for the London assay office (pre-1822 form), the monarch's head duty mark, and the Roman lowercase date letter 'f'—conclusively identifies the set as London assayed silver for the year 1821, attributable to Solomon Royes.
Authenticity Score: 98%
The hallmarks are crisp, consistent, and correctly struck for London 1821, and align with documented marks for Solomon Royes. The style, construction, and decorative treatment are entirely appropriate for the early George IV period. The high score reflects the strong visual evidence of authenticity, with a small margin reserved for the absence of in-person metallurgical testing or physical inspection.
Image Memory Note
None None
Keywords
English sterling silver, George IV Period, 1821, Solomon Royes, London hallmarks, Neoclassical, tea set, teapot, sugar bowl, creamer, antique silver, gilded interior
Peer Review Summary
Peer Review
Key Visible Evidence
The provided images clearly show a three-piece sterling silver tea set in a Neoclassical style, featuring chased floral and foliate bands, cast feet, and gilded interiors for the sugar bowl and creamer (Image 1). Close-up images of the hallmarks (Image 5, 6) reveal a maker's mark 'SR', a lion passant, a crowned leopard's head, a Roman lowercase 'f' date letter, and a monarch's head duty mark. The hallmarks are crisp and legible.
Market and Source Support
The report's dating of 'Circa 1801-1802' and attribution to the 'George III Period' is contradicted by the visible hallmarks. The Roman lowercase 'f' date letter, in conjunction with the crowned leopard's head (pre-1822) and the monarch's head duty mark (1784-1890), definitively dates the set to 1821. This places the set in the early George IV Period (1820-1830). Furthermore, the maker's mark 'SR' for London 1821 is consistently attributed to Solomon Royes in grounded sources, not Samuel Reynolds as stated in the report.
Needs Verification
- The material of the teapot handle insulators (stated as 'bone/ivory') cannot be definitively confirmed from visual evidence alone and would require physical inspection or material testing.
Audit Conclusion
The report contains significant errors in dating and maker attribution based on the clear hallmark evidence. While the object is indeed an authentic English sterling silver tea set, its correct dating is 1821 (George IV Period) and the maker is Solomon Royes. The overall condition appears consistent with the 'Excellent' grade, and the Neoclassical style is appropriate for the revised dating.
Comparables (Similar Items)
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