Alexander MacRae Furniture

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver posy holder; an addition to our ornamental silverware collection. This exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver posy holder has a conical shaped form onto three legs. The surface of the holder has a frosted finish and is embellished with bright cut engraved Greek Key fret band ornamentation in addition to stylized leaf motifs. The body is further ornamented with an applied knop encircled with bead ornamentation flanked with a scalloped border and collet set cabochon turquoises. The upper portion of this impressive example of Victorian silverware is encompassed with a protruding undulating band accented with further collet set turquoise alternating with a swagged chain articulating from ring loops. The upper rim is embellished with a large applied bead decorated border. The vessel terminates with a bright cut engraved layered leaf texture to an applied ball motif. This impressive holder is supported by three hinged legs, conjoined with a silver chain. This antique posey holder...

Hallmarked in London, in 1869, by Alexander Macrae, this stunning, antique, Victorian, sterling silver Posey holder, or tussie mussie, is gold-plated, and...

A pair of English 19th century (1875) Victorian silver tazze by Alexander MacRae. These are boldly chased with flowers and foliage, the bases applied with demi-figures and a shield e...

The Decanter of slim tapered form with bulbous body, splayed circular foot with pinched stem and shaped opening. The Decanter extensively decorated throughout the body with two large fern leaves stemming from a central tied ribbon in the form of a bow. The decanter features a rounded handle fitted to the upper half of the decanter with a hinged shaped lid opening with gravity. To the base of the decanter an engraving reading “Jesse Collings. from I. Chamberlain.” Hallmarked to the neck AM (Alexander Macrae), Lion passant (sterling silver), Leopard Head town mark for London, Date letter R (1872) and the sovereign head duty mark. The Decanter is complete with its original latched fitted box lined in purple velvet with gold stringing to the exterior and the retailers mark to the inside doors “Widdowson & Veale, Goldsmith & Jewellery, to the Court of Spain, 73 Strand London.” Widdowson & Veale George Widdowson (b. 1804 Lincoln – Died 1872 Dulwich Village) was a celebrated silversmith and goldsmith although he took the route of retailer rather than a craftsman and by the age of 28 he had taken over his uncle’s London shop on the Strand, London. His uncle John Salter had been a close friend of Lord Nelson’s daughter, Horatia, and was godfather to one of her children. The shop was very successful and John Salter had supplied Nelson with many pieces of jewellery, including mourning rings. Widdowson developed the shop into Widdowson & Veale located at No. 73 Strand on the corner of Adam Street and opposite the Adelphi. Widdowson had a real eye for marketing. He once had a detailed newspaper article dedicated to his proposal to make a copy of Aeneas’ shield, as described in Virgil’s Aeneid. There is no evidence the shield was ever made though it did get good publicity. The company made swords and other weapons for the British army and navy, orders and decorations for the British court and were goldsmiths and jewellers to the court of Spain. In 1842 on the christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest son (later King Edward VII), Widdowson’s eye for publicity meant that the firm gave a christening gift of ‘an immense silver coronet supporting the Prince of Wales feathers.’ Widdowson & Veale were also makers to HRH the Duke of Sussex and the Court of Spain. In 1844, George was 40 and his business was doing well, as was the economy as a whole. The firm were able to advertise for apprentices, asking for a premium of £100. On 11 February 1847 George married Eliza Duffield (nee Boville), the daughter of a Putney wine merchant who had been living in Gibraltar but returned when her first husband, John Duffield, died. George and Eliza were middle-aged when they married and did not have children. Alexander Macrae founder of the firm that went on to be C J Vander Ltd. Macrae was recorded at 32 Bow Street, Covent Garden, London September 1856. He was joined in partnership by Martin Goldstein c. 1870, whereupon the style of the firm was changed to Macrae & Goldstein – first listed in 1871 as a silversmith. Alexander Macrae supplied many of the great firms at that time such as Elkington, Harry Emanuel...