Georgian Sterling Silver wine funnel 1828
Made by silversmith "TJ" (most likely Thomas Johnson or Thomas James, both London ), a beautiful example of a Georgian Sterling Silver wine funnel, dated 1828 and bearing the maker's mark "TJ" ( clearly discernable on the strainer ) and engraved
with a crest "Deer above battlement"
To the history of wine funnels please refer to T.R.Pooles very useful book on antique British silver
( T.R.Poole: Identifying Antique British Silver)
according to Mr Poole:
Wine funnel also called wine strainers, these were used in both the home and the tavern to decant to the bottle and from the bottle to the decanter. Most funnels are circular and either in one piece, with a removable pierced strainer or gauze, or in two pieces, comprising a pierced bowl and a removable spout. Alternatively the bowl may include a removable inner ring to retain a muslin straining cloth. Examples of wine funnels made in the 1770s and 1780s are usually plain or have a reeded rim, although one early Hester Bateman wine funnel made in 1774 has a wavy circular gadrooned rim. Wine funnels usually include a small shaped or egg-pattern hook hanging down from the rim. Later wine funnels are more elaborately decorated and have wider applied foliate rims. Most wine funnels date from between 1770 and 1820. There is an unsubstaniated report of one wine funnel dated 1651, and there is a rather large, plain circular one-piece wine funnel made in 1739. Boulton and Fothergill made the wine funnel type with a muslin strainer in the 1770s. Funnels were offered in the old Sheffield plate pattern books in several different patterns up to the 1840s, when they could be ordered with either plated or gilded bowl interiors, the gilded wine funnel bowls costing four shillings and sixpence extra. Silver wine funnels should be fully hallmarked on the bowl, and other parts of the wine funnel should also bear some marks. Care should be taken to check that all parts match. Wine funnels are sometimes found with a matching stand or tray with a domed centre and / or short legs.
Collectables Sterling Silver, fine silver , London georgian silver, hallmarks, London silver smith, London Silver hallmark, GeorgeIV silver wine funnel, engraved with a crest