Giida Aurifabrorum : a History of English Goldsmiths and Plate-
workers. By William Chaffers. (W. H. Allen and Co.)—Mr. Chaffers has followed up a former work which has had a great success—" Hall- Marks on Gold and Silver Plate "—by the volume now before us. This, while dealing specially with the "makers' marks," contains a variety of interesting matter on analogous points. Thus we have some curious facts about the Goldsmiths' and other City Guilds. In 1452 one Thomas Harrison, "considering how much the Company was indebted, and their livelihood ruinous and in decline," gave the Goldsmiths 220. In 1470 they need pewter vessels for their enter- tainments. After the Fire of 1666, they sold most of the plate Which they had meanwhile accumulated, to repair damages. The Merchant Tailors and the Grocers each sold two hundred pounds weight of silver for the same purpose. Then there is the list of real gold-plate (most of what is so called is only silver-gilt). It includes sixteen items only, the finest being a pair of gold ice-pails given by Queen Anne to the Duke of Marlborough, and now in possession of Earl Spencer. After this come biographical notices of various goldsmiths, beginning with St. Dunstan, patron of the craft, and brought down to the present time, a list of the chief manufacturers of the present day being given. The "List of Plateworkers' Marks" follows, the oldest pieces mentioned being of the date of 1445, and described as the "Spoon left by Henry VI., together with his boots and gloves, at Bolton Hall, after the battle of Hexham." Many other curious matters complete this valuable volume.
Previous page
