London 1844 – Crystal and sterling silver sugar or salt shaker by B. Smith

A crystal powder shaker mounted in solid silver by the master silversmith Benjamin Smith III. The body is made of edged cut crystal, the base is star-shaped, and the neck has a silver mount topped with a pierced, undulating lid surmounted by a finial.

Hallmarks:

Lion passant;

Panther;

Date letter;

Silversmith.

Dimensions:

Height: 13 cm.

Diameter: 4.8 cm.

Gross weight: 309 grams.

London, 1844.

Condition report: Some minor chips to the edges and a chip to the base, as shown in the photograph. Barely visible in use but nonetheless present; this is taken into account in the price.
More photographs are available upon request.

BENJAMIN SMITH III
Active between approx. 1812 and 1850.

Benjamin Smith III was a British silversmith of the first half of the 19th century, descended from a prominent line of London silversmiths. He was the son of Benjamin Smith II, himself a renowned silversmith who had collaborated with major figures such as Matthew Boulton and had established a solid reputation in London from the 1790s onward.
Benjamin Smith III continued the family business after working with or for his father. He registered several hallmarks in London, notably between 1816 and the 1830s. He worked under his own name but also occasionally collaborated with others.
His work is rooted in the British ornamental tradition of the late Georgian and early Victorian periods. He primarily produced solid silver tableware (teapots, sugar bowls, trays, cutlery, etc.) and high-quality decorative objects. His silver work included symbolic or commemorative pieces such as cups and prize pieces; occasionally, pieces in the late Neoclassical style, echoing his father's stylistic legacy.

Benjamin Smith III's work is often distinguished by the quality of its casting and chasing, and may feature finely crafted Regency-style decoration, sometimes inspired by antiquity.

He registered several hallmarks in London, usually with the initials B.S. It is important to distinguish him from his father, Benjamin Smith II, whose hallmarks may be similar. The style of the piece, as well as the date letter, helps to differentiate them.

Several works by Benjamin Smith III are now held in prestigious collections. The Royal Collection, owned by the Royal Collection Trust, notably includes gilt silver pieces made around 1808–1809, executed with his father, Benjamin Smith II. The Victoria and Albert Museum houses silverware and preparatory drawings that reveal the elegance of his compositions. Major creations, such as the monumental candelabra of 1816 and the famous Wellington Shield (1822), are on display at Apsley House, the former residence of the Duke of Wellington. The British Museum, for its part, holds preparatory engravings associated with his works, illustrating the importance of his production in 19th-century British silversmithing.

Ref: HYO36842Y2