Antiques M.S. Rau | Britannia Standard Silver Brandy Warmer

The Brilliance Of Britannia Standard Silver Is Displayed In This Fine Brandy Warmer. Crafted In A Well-Balanced Baluster Form, This Single-Handled Pot Was Used To Warm Brandy, Which Was Done To Release The Different Flavors And Aromas Of This Fine Spirit. A Turned, Wooden Handle Provides Insulation From The Heat, Completing This Design That Is Both Elegant And Functional.

A 1697 Act Of Parliament Introduced The Britannia Standard Of Silver To Prevent British Sterling Coins From Being Melted To Create Silver Plate When Demand For Domestic Silver Rose After The English Civil War. Britannia Silver, Indicated By The Newly Ordered Britannia Hallmark, Required A Higher Purity Of 95.8% Silver, As Opposed To Sterling Silver, Which Is Made Of 92.5%. The Standard Remained Compulsory Only Until 1720, When Sterling Silver Was Again Approved For Use By Silversmiths, Making Britannia Pieces Like These Some Of The Rarest And Most Sought-After Silver Items On The Market Today.

Hallmarked London, 1717

9 1/2″ Length X 3 3/4″ Deep X 4″ High