A Set of Four Silver Gilt George III Wine Coasters

Maker’s Mark of Emes & Barnard

London 1808

Silver Gilt

Diameter: 15.3cm (6in)

This is an outstanding set of four George III Silver gilt wine coasters made in London in 1808 by Emes and Barnard. They have been made to the very highest quality and have remained in wonderful original condition. The coasters have been decorated with a pierce grape and vine design very much in the style of Digby Scott & Benjamin Smith. What is even nicer is that they have silver gilt bases which bear matching hallmarks.

Emes & Barnard were a very interesting company with their origins dating back to 1722 with Anthony Nelmemwho established a silversmithing firm at Ave Maria Lane, in London, ca.1680. His son, Francis Nelme, took over the business on his death in 1722 and continued to run it until 1739 when Thomas Whipham (d. 1756) took over. On his death his son Thomas Whipham went into partnership with Charles Wright. In 1775 Whipham withdrew from the business and in 1786 Charles Wright amalgamated the firm with neighbouring silversmith Thomas Chawner and his son Henry Chawner. Thomas Chawner was the master of Edward Barnard (d. 1855) and on the amalgamation Edward Barnard became the foreman of the company. In 1796 Chawner took an engraver, John Emes, into partnership and when he retired Emes became the sole owner and Edward Barnard became the firm's manager. On Emes' death in 1808 Edward Barnard went into partnership with the widowed Rebecca Emes and Henry Chawner who acted as a sleeping partner. The firm traded as Emes & Barnard. Rebecca Emes withdrew from the business in 1829 and Edward Barnard became the proprietor together with his sons Edward Barnard (d. 1868), John Barnard and William Barnard (d. 1851), trading under the name Edward Barnard & Sons.

In 1838 the firm moved to new factory premises in Angel Street, London and in 1898 it again moved to Fetter Lane, London. It was a skilful and knowledgeable exponent of the Neoclassical and revived Rococo style and later traded mostly on an understanding of historicist form and ornament rather than producing contemporary twentieth century styles. The demand for military, sporting, presentation, ecclesiastical and municipal silver ware, of which Barnard's were a key producer, required this expertise in styles of the past. The company's clients included Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, Elkington & Co., Garrard & Co. and the Goldsmiths' Company. Edward Barnard & Sons became a limited company in 1910. From 1914 to 1924 the company also owned a factory in Northampton Street, Birmingham. In 1919 the company moved its London premises temporarily to Stonecutter Street, Farringdon Road before moving to Hatton Garden in 1920. In 1977 Edward Barnard & Sons Ltd became a subsidiary of Padgett & Braham Ltd and moved to Shacklewell Road in Hackney in 1991. The firm closed in 2003.