A Red Morocco Leather Picnic Set Of English Origin, Dating From Between 1795 And 1805

A small red morocco leather picnic set containing a folding knife and fork made of silver and mother-of-pearl.

The mother-of-pearl handles are intricately crafted and mounted on silver.

The knife blade is made of silver and engraved with a “spearhead” motif, along with the English solid silver hallmarks “Passing Lion” and “Sovereign’s Head.”

The two-tined fork is made of silver with engraved borders bearing the “Sovereign’s Head” and “Passing Lion” hallmarks, as well as the maker’s mark “J.W. " Joseph Wilmore Birmingham (hallmark used from 1795 to 1805).

Silver ferrules and ferrules.

Note:

- The “Sovereign’s Head” hallmark is the official mark used for silverware in England. It depicted a portrait of the reigning sovereign, in this case George III (king from 1760 to 1820). This hallmark was used to indicate that the item had been tested and approved by the Assay Office for its quality and silver fineness.

- The “Passing Lion” hallmark is one of the most recognizable hallmarks in English silversmithing.

This hallmark has been in use since 1544 and is still found on silver objects made in the United Kingdom.

- Master’s mark “J.W.” Joseph Wilmore was a renowned silversmith who worked in Birmingham, a city that was a major center of precious metal manufacturing in Great Britain during this period. Reference: A similar piece is illustrated and described in the book “Cutlery” by Hollander, page 203, no. 361.

Dimensions: fork length 14.6 cm / knife length 13.6 cm. Case 8.1 cm.

Birmingham (England) between 1795 and 1805, during the reign of King George III.