Antiques and Collectibles, Georgian period to Mid Century modern and everything in between. Books, Art, and Hockey equipment. Burwoodhallantiques.com
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Item Description
c1805 This set of Augsburg silver forks & knives are Museum Display Case antiques of the type acquired by a museum, educational or other public venue, or the serious collector of fine antiques. These have remained together as a set of four for approximately 207 years and are very early examples of the Silversmiths Art for which Augsburg became famous. In the 18th century, critics all over Europe used the term “Augsburg taste†as a synonym for German Rococo. European nobility desired the luxurious and well made Augsburg silver. (Around 1735, some 30 000 people lived in Augsburg and between 260 and 275 of them were master gold and silversmiths). Leopold Mozart, father of Wolfgang Mozart, was an Augsburg citizen. Leopold Mozart's (1719-1787) musical talent became evident at a very early stage but could not rival that of his son, Wolfgang.
These forks & Knives were made in Augsburg undoubtedly for someone of wealth during a time that Napoleon was exerting his military might in Europe. They are dated for 1805, the same year French Emperor Napoleon prevailed at the Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition (Austria, Britain, Russia, Naples, Sweden) on 2 December 1805. Augsburg (Bavaria) was part of Napoleon's French coalition which included Spain and the Netherlands.
These silver knives and forks predate the age of "electroplating". The Blades are stamped "H. Muller" and "Wurzburg" (in Bavaria) indicating the cutlery maker of the blades and FED (Augsburg) made the sterling handles. "FED" is for Frederick Ernst Dossdorf whose items are highly collectible and included in several Museum collections. These items are marked with the Augsburg Pinecone and the letter "R"
size:
9 3/4 length of knives
8 1/4 length of forks
No apparent monogram
They are presented as found. The blade of one knife is loose in the handle. On the blades, there is no "bubbling" which if present would be an indication that the blades are "close plate". Close plate was made by affixing a sheet of sterling onto carbon steel. When the steel rusted, the silver sheet would bubble up. There is no indication of this and the wear along the blade edge appears to show silver color throughout. I have no way of testing the metal, which due to the age of the item should not be important. The blade is attached to the hollow Sterling Handle by pitch. One blade has loosened and is detachable so you can see the continuous metal of the blade into a "stem" by which the blade was anchored inside the decorative handle. The stem, discolored by being imbedded into the pitch for a 100+++ years, when scratched, exposes a layer that appears to be the same color as silver.
Shipping..Insurance required. Please contact seller for shipping info if outside of USA. Estimated Packed weight 1.5lbs box size 6"x6"x12"
*Items that do not sell return to inventory in our store we are burwoodhallantiques d o t webstore d o t co m.
*Shipping is an estimated to facilitate a quick listing.
Shipping companies base their shipping costs on to/from zipcode, anticipated size of packed box, anticipated weight of packed box, insurance. If I have over estimated by more than one dollar, I will be glad to refund the difference to your payment method. Breakable items require extra packaging (adds weight and bulk). If you live within 6 miles of a fedex store (Kinkos or Fedex), please consider picking it up at their location. This can reduce shipping charges by 30+% if it is not a home delivery. This also decreases the likelyhood of package damage or loss as it decreases handling and it will not be left at your door.
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