{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25249"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25249/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AG7320/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AG7320/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AG7320","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25249","accessionNumber":"M.8-1999","objectType":"Spoon","titles":[{"title":"Sidney Silver","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"“ The substitution of electro-plate for real silver is now so common in households where the latter would be regarded as a superfluous luxury, that the sternest advocate of true principles in art-manufacture would scarcely require an apology for its use.”   (Charles Eastlake, Hints on Household Taste, 1878)\r\n\r\nGeorge Richard Elkington and his cousin and partner, Henry Elkington successfully developed electroplating, electrotyping and electrogilding processes from earlier experiments and made them commercially viable. The cousins were not inventors but innovators who, by applying the techniques to industry, revolutionized the silver and plating trades all over the world. In the 1840s, licences to make the new products were sold widely in Britain and abroad to firms such as Christofle & Co. in Paris. Electroplate, a cheaper and more durable substitute for silver, replaced Sheffield plate within ten years and challenged the supremacy of silver on the dining tables and in the drawing rooms of Europe.\r\n\r\nThe power of the machinery and new technology now at the disposal of the silver industry could produce thousands of identical items to a standard formula of design, quality and price. The focus of silver and silver product manufacture moved from London to the new factories of Birmingham and Sheffield.","physicalDescription":"Dessert Spoon, Fiddle Pattern","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"James Deakin & Sons Ltd.","id":"A9897"},"association":{"text":"manufacturers","id":"AAT25230"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"nickel silver","id":"AAT242125"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Electroplated nickel silver","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AG7320"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"67","id":"THES49731"},"free":"","case":"17","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Table spoon","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sheffield","id":"x29138"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1890","earliest":"1885-01-01","latest":"1894-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Ena Eatwell","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"21","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Marked on the back of the stem, SIDNEY SILVER within separate lozenges, divided by an eagle within a shield; on the back of the handle along the centre line, J D & S, the letters JD within an oval lozenge, the & within an hexagonal lozenge, the letter S within an oval lozenge, the letters BP within an oval lozenge at right angles to the centre line followed by an eagle within a shield.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"Stamped","position":"On the back of the handle","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On the back of the handle; Stamped\r\n\r\nMarked on the shaft with the trade name SIDNEY SILVER separated by a gong, and on the handle with the maker’s marks of James Deakin and Son of Sheffield"}],"objectHistory":"Gift - Ena Eatwell","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Tablespoon, electroplated nickel silver, trade marked 'Sidney Silver', made by James Deakin & Sons Ltd., Sheffield, ca. 1890","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"John Culme <font -u>The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths, Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914, From the London Assay Office Registers. Volume 1, The Biographies</font>, Woodbridge, Antique Collectors' Club, 1987, pp 114-15 ISBN 1851490698"}],"production":"Reason For Production: Retail","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Nickel silver\r\nSheffield, around 1880\r\nJames Deakin and Son\r\nMarked on the shaft with the trade name SIDNEY SILVER separated by a gong, and on the handle with the sponsor's marks of James Deakin and Son of Sheffield\r\nE. Eatwell Gift\r\nM.8-1999","date":{"text":"20/01/2000","earliest":"2000-01-20","latest":"2000-01-20"}}],"partNumbers":["M.8-1999"],"accessionNumberNum":"8","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1999,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-11","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-16","availableToBook":false}}