George V Silver Menu Holders Haileybury College

George V Silver Menu Holders Haileybury College.

A good pair of early 20th century cased silver and enamel Menu Holders, the shield shaped stands on octagonal bases, enameled with the Crest of Haileybury College School, Hertfordshire. Complete with original silk and velvet lined leather case.

By John William Barrett, Chester, 1920.

Haileybury College is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) near Hertford in England. It is a member of the Rugby Group and though originally a major boys' public school in the Victorian era, it is now co-educational, enrolling pupils at 11+, 13+ and 16+ stages of education. Over 880 pupils attend Haileybury, of whom more than 550 board.

Clement Attlee, a former Prime Minister from 1945-1951 is perhaps Haileybury's most famous son. During his period in office he shaped much of post-war British history and established the NHS and the welfare state.

Menu holders were generally made in sets of four, although pairs, sets of six, eight and even twelve or eighteen are known. They were designed to hold a printed or painted card displaying the "bill of fare" for the guest's information and placed at intervals along the dining table. They were not originally intended to hold individual guest's name cards, although of course, if you have sufficient numbers of holders they work perfectly well in this respect too. Menu card holders made of silver and other allied materials were introduced during the Victorian era but reached the zenith of their production during the opulent early years of the early 20th century – the “Golden Age" of the Edwardian period.

Society in the Edwardian age was dominated by the King. The legend that surrounds the era is primarily due to the influence of Edward VII. He was a man not only larger than life, but with an insatiable appetite for a wide variety of indulgences from food and wine to women and sport. Hunting, shooting and fishing were favourite pastimes and these are often reflected in the designs of Menu Holders. The Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements meant that demand for menu holders continued into the twentieth century to incorporate the newly fashionable designs. Steppes Hill Farm Antiques has a range of Victorian and Edwardian antique silver menu holders for sale, which make an ideal addition to any silver collection.

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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