A VICTORIAN STERLING SILVER FISH SERVICE FOR SIX, SHEFFIELD, 1894

A cased fish service for six persons, consisting of six knives and six forks, made by Martin, Hall & Co. of Sheffield and hallmarked for 1894. The knives have sterling silver blades of the characteristic asymmetric form, with a notched spine and pointed tip. The forks have sterling silver tines with shaped shoulders. Each piece is mounted on a loaded sterling silver handle of reeded thread-edge pattern, finished with a ringed collar at the shoulder.

Every handle is engraved with the crest of Wilson, a talbot's head erased, beneath a ribbon bearing the motto Semper Vigilans, "Always Vigilant." The talbot, a hound of the medieval English chase, is a traditional heraldic emblem of vigilance and fidelity, and suits the family's motto.

The service sits in its fitted wooden case. The lid is lined in ivory silk and the interior is fitted in deep purple velvet. The lid exterior is set with a brass cartouche engraved with a boar's head crest, which suggests a later owner or a family connected by marriage. The case retains its brass lock plate and the plaque of the retailer, Heming & Co. Ltd., London.

Condition: The silver is in good condition, with surface scratching and light wear consistent with age and use. The case shows minor knocks and wear to the finish. The silk lining has age-related discolouration and the velvet has light rubbing. The knives sit loosely in their fittings. The set is complete for six, with its original lock plate and retailer's plaque.

Box: L. 13.5 in. x B. 10.5 in. x H. 2.75 in.
Forks: L. 7 in.
Knives: L. 8 in.