Pair of Large Sterling Silver Seagulls made circa 1890 in Germany for the American Market

Pair of Large Sterling Silver Seagulls made circa 1890 in Germany for the American Market.

A pair of very handsome sterling silver large models of seagulls made in Hanau in Germany expressly for the American market. These large models are beautifully detailed and were probably a special order as seagulls are very rare as a subject (as opposed to the very common animals such as pheasants and cockerels).

They bear the nineteenth century German mark of 13 - the early German standard of silver which translates to .812( 81.2 percent) purity. They also have sterling silver struck underneath the wings and tails. The apparent confusion is easily explained.

Their master model as it were would have been copied and when copying the original German marks would have been left in. Knowing that the order was for the American or perhaps the Canadian market they would have had to make them of a higher purity so they were hand cast and chased in the sterling standard(.925) ie 92.5 percent purity.

These are a pair of beautifully detailed handmade models of large size and weight and the first time I have owned seagulls!

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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