Late 19th Century James Dixon & Sons Silver-Plate Fish Set - 12 pcs

Details

Description

Twelve-Piece Service for Six — Fish Knives & Forks — Victorian, c. 1880s

From the same Nantucket estate sale that … Read more Twelve-Piece Service for Six — Fish Knives & Forks — Victorian, c. 1880s

From the same Nantucket estate sale that yielded the Spaulding carving set comes this — and if anything, it has the stronger story.
James Dixon & Sons of Sheffield needs no introduction to serious collectors of English silver. Founded in 1806, Dixon built a reputation across the Victorian era as one of Britain's most accomplished makers of plated and sterling ware, their work appearing on the finest tables on both sides of the Atlantic. The maker's mark here is unambiguous: the herald's trumpet with banner, Dixon's iconic symbol, stamped clearly alongside the "40" quality mark — indicating an exceptionally heavy application of silver plate, the standard reserved for pieces meant to last generations. These did.
Six fish knives and six fish forks, each knife carrying the characteristic asymmetrical curved blade particular to the form — not a carving edge but the elegant, specialized arc designed for the delicate work of separating fish from bone at a properly set table. The three-tine forks are perfectly proportioned, tines evenly spaced and true. Both knife and fork handles are chased with scrollwork and shell motifs — shell, notably, the Victorian fish course's own quiet symbol — executed with the confidence of Dixon craftsmen at the height of their trade.
The silver is bright, plate loss minimal and confined to areas of natural wear at the ferrules. The patina is warm and even. No pitting, no repairs, no replating. A complete service, all twelve pieces present and accounted for.
For the collector who sets a real table, or the interior designer sourcing for a client who does. See less