Featured Women Silversmiths

I found these 2 little spoons today and was surprised to find out the mark was for a woman and her son - Sarah and John William Blake London 1817, not sure why there isn't a city mark. Not much information out there, but from what I can find this mark was used from 1809-1823, then her son registered his own mark 1823-28. Not sure what happened to her after 1823.
I started to look around to see if more women were silver or gold smiths and there were. Here is a bit on collectors weekly.
Will have to keep looking to see what I can find.

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-women-silversmiths-of-england/

 

Fascinating article.

 

Packed away at the moment, but I have the book linked below in my library - found it interesting. Not very pricey these days, but am sure it would also be available through inter-library loan if your local library doesn't have it...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0500...lversmiths&dpPl=1&dpID=51H6zVM-GWL&ref=plSrch

~Cheryl

 

I agree johnny.
Thank-you dragonflywink, I'll have to see if I can find a copy.

 

This is a great book, but just the start! There are some very nice Blake pieces out there and spoons are a good place to start. Sometimes on small pieces you will not find the full marks, for example on sugar tongs or wine labels. This is an area of study which needs further work and its great others are awake to it! Happy Womens Day! Sue

 

It was not uncommon for widows to take over their husbands business. They would probably be in more of an executive role than an actual fabricator but having their own maek meant they had the responsibiity for the workshop and its output.

There would be major obstacles to women serving apprenticeships as silversmiths, the most likely way into the trade would be as apprentice to an unusually broad minded father.

 

"Broad minded..." - ?

 

Happy Women's Day to you Sue

af, many did the actual work. Below is from the article linked above
In 1935, however, Sir Ambrose Heal published, under the patronage of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, a large volume known as The London Goldsmiths. It covers the period of 1100 to 1800 and is a record of names, addresses, and definite trade designations within the all-embracing term of goldsmith. It discloses that, in practically all instances, women with recorded touch marks were actual craftsmen in one or another branch of silversmithing. The largest number of them were listed as “plate workers,” the all-embracing term of the day for wrought silver