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Old Sheffield Plate

Although the discovery of Old Sheffield Plate, which is the combining of silver with copper, was accidental, it has had a great deal of importance in the history of manufacturing in England. The process derived its name from the city in which it was first produced, and its popularity was incredible. Because of the number of people hired as well as the amount of merchandise produced, it became one of the leading industrial centers of Great Britain.

The demand of silver far exceeded the supply especially with the rise of the merchant class in the eighteenth century. Thus, one can understand why Sheffield Plate was so well received. The pieces resembled solid silver and now were able to be duplicated in Old Sheffield Plate. Its lower cost thus enabled those of lesser income to enjoy luxuries for the first time.

The discovery of Sheffield Plating is accredited to Thomas Boulsover in the year 1742 while he was repairing the handle of a knife. Over the years, Old Sheffield Plate has become quite scarce and originals are eagerly sought after and, once gained, they are treasured with the respect due to them.

One article that we often have in our inventory is a Wine Coaster. For some reason, we always seem to have many Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coasters. We will now be describing them in this section. We think that it will be interesting to describe how wine coasters came to be, how they were used and where they were used.

Wine Coasters have been an integral part of the elegant dining table in England since the 18th century. At this time, coasters were known as bottle sliders. A coaster serves various functions, and originally they were more functional than aesthetic. Wine Coasters were used to hold cut glass decanters so that they would not be touching each other and thus prevent chipping of them. As the serving of wine was part of every meal and was left on the table during the entire meal, coasters were also used to prevent the bottom of the decanter from leaving a ring on the table. It became fashionable in the 18th century to remove the tablecloth so that the polished table could be admired. When the ladies had departed, the men could sit back  and relax and enjoy their port. It was at this point, that baize began to be attached to the base of flat-bottomed wine coasters. Baize, more commonly known as felt, is a woolen material typically green in color. It is applied to the underside of this useful table article. It is the baize that ultimately enables the wine coaster to glide, or coast, across the polished surface of a dining table. With these reasons, it was inevitable that the wine coaster would be introduced. In today’s world, wine coasters can also hold a bottle of wine as well as a decanter.

Old Sheffield Plate Chamberstick

$475.00

A handsome Old Sheffield circular Chamberstick that has a very elegant design with its thread edge border and a lovely crest. Chambersticks were introduced in the 17th Century and originally the purpose was used for lighting a bedroom. Therefore, large households had many sets of …

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Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coaster

$550.00

A very attractive Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coaster. One of the attributes that this piece has is a wonderful patina. As Old Sheffield Plate (see heading at the top of Old Sheffield Plate regarding this technique) is a hand fused process, there is copper wearing …

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Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coaster

$575.00

With the arrival of new wealth and all that it brings, the wine coaster was another article making its impact on society. The original purpose was to place a decanter within the coaster. This provided a decorative aspect to the table and helped prevent the …

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Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coaster

$595.00

Antique wine coasters have become objects d’art. When the earliest wine coasters started to appear around 1760, they were hand pierced in design. In fact, as silver was so popular at that time, they generally were quite elaborate. This was a wonderful way for silversmiths …

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Pair of Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coasters

$850.00 for pair

Old Sheffield Plate, or fused plate as it is sometimes called, was the first viable method of plating metal. The method itself was invented by a Sheffield cutler (person who makes or sells cutlery) named Thomas Boulsover. He discovered that it is possible to fuse …

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Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coaster

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Between the 1820’s and 1840’s, Britain saw an increase in both clothing and wine consumption. This was driven by the abolition of import and export duties. Wearing fashionable clothes and drinking with dinner, became a way for upper society to demonstrate their wealth. At this …

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Old Sheffield Plate Salver

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A handsome Old Sheffield Salver which is quite rare because of its oblong shape. Most salvers at this time were round shaped. This Old Sheffield Salver has a shaped gadroon border and there is a crest in the center of the piece. It is a …

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Old Sheffield Plate Wine Coaster

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During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the upper class became increasingly obsessed with the lifestyle and consumption of goods and wanted to display their taste as well as wealth. This idea of extravagance, as well as the addition of import and export duties created a …

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Pair of Old Sheffield Plate Candlesticks

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The use of Sterling Silver Candlesticks is documented back to the early Elizabethan (1558 – 1603) period. Tragically however, most of these Candlesticks were subsequently melted down or lost. Silver Plate Candlesticks were in high demand during the reign of Charles 11 (1660 – 1685). …

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