An exceptional silver Abercorn pattern tea caddy by Hunt & Roskell, London, 1854, with engraved coat of arms, and clear crisp marks of John Samuel Hunt for Hunt & Roskell, of heavy gauge 26oz.
Provenance: British family of title; Private Collection.
Hunt & Roskell were a renowned London Jeweller and Silversmith, who for many years held the Royal Warrant of Queen Victoria. They were the successor to the celebrated silversmith Paul Storr, who had left Rundell, Bridge & Rundell to set up his own workshop on Harrison Street near Clerkenwell in 1819.
He then went into partnership with John Mortimer and began trading from 13 New Bond Street as Storr & Mortimer. In 1826 they took on an additional partner, John Samuel Hunt, who brought with him a welcome capital investment of £5,000. The firm was increasingly successful, and in 1838 they moved to new premises at 156 New Bond Street just prior to the retirement of Paul Storr. This prompted a name change to Mortimer and Hunt, from 1839 until 1843, when John Mortimer retired and the name changed once again to Hunt & Roskell. At this time the partners were John Samuel Hunt, his son John Hunt, Robert Roskell Jn. (son of the respected pocket watch maker Robert Roskell from Liverpool) and Charles Frederick Hancock.
The firm then entered a period of growth and prosperity. They were creating wonderful pieces of silverware from tea and coffee pots, salvers and candelabra through to presentation plates and cups, as well as ornate and decorative table centrepieces. They exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851, where they were noted for the splendour of their display. By this time they had already been granted the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria, an honour they reflected in their maker’s mark which was surmounted with a crown. They exhibited further, including in New York in 1853 and Paris in 1867.
