London 1910, Fruit Basket, Solid Silver, Bread Basket, Cs Harris

Very elegant Louis XVI style bread or fruit basket in solid silver of the first title (925%). It bears the hallmarks of the City of London for the year 1910. Its shapes and style are typical for Dutch Louis XVI period baskets as they were made in Amsterdam and The Hague around 1770-1800. During the Victorian era thes dutch baskets were very successful and English silversmiths began to make them from 1830-40. Its master silversmith's mark is that of the famous London silversmith C.S. Harris, a prominent London silversmithing firm that operated from the 19th century. The company was known for its sterling silver items, including flatware, serveware, and decorative objects, and became particularly famous for sending more silver to the London Assay Office for hallmarking than any other silversmith by the early 1900s. The business, originally founded by John Mark Harris, evolved into C.S. Harris & Sons Ltd.before eventually merging in 1933. 

• Company history: Founded in 1817 as a maker of silver spoons and forks, the company became formally known as Charles Stuart Harris in 1881. By 1897, it was officially C.S. Harris & Sons Ltd., and by 1900, it was one of the largest silversmiths in London.

It weighs 600 grams and is in perfect condition.