Private Die Silver Sauce Ladle, Glasgow 1828

Robert Gray & Son were the most important slversmiths based in Glasgow in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. They were instrumental in the establishment of the Glasgow Assay Office in 1819 and produced some high quality silver. Amongst their portfolio, they offered silver flatware made to commission, that included the owner's crest as integral to the die used to make the cutlery and so appears as a raised motif, as opposed the more standard engraving. This silver sauce ladle is a great example of the type.

The ladle dates from the late George IV period and the base pattern is fiddle & thread. The crest is stamped to the front terminal and features a mermaid holding a mirror above a knight's helmet within seaweed. It is a fine example of sought after private die silverware.