A very fine quality antique English Edwardian silver plated four piece tea set. The set consists of a tea pot, a coffee pot, a cream jug & a sugar bowl. Each piece is of an oval form with plain sides & raised band around the outside. The sugar bowl has a scrolled lifting handle on either side with a rolled rim & the cream jug has a matching handle & wide pouring spout. The teapot & coffee pot have a brown Bakelite harp shaped handle with a brown Bakelite finial on a semi domed hinged lid. The teapot has a swan neck pouring spout & the coffee pot has a nicely shaped pouring spout at the top. Each piece is marked on the underside with the makers mark. Lovely fully usable collectors item.
 
Maker
Martin Hall & Co
Sheffield, England.
The origin of the firm is in the partnership established in 1820 in Sheffield by Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts who traded as Wilkinson & Roberts. Wilkinson left the business in 1836 and in 1846 John Roberts entered in partnership with Ebenezer Hall (his apprentice in 1836) under the style Roberts & Hall.
In 1854 entered into the partnership Richard Martin (of Martin Brothers & Naylor) and Joshua Hall (brother of Ebenezer Hall) under the style Martin, Hall & Co. In 1866 the firm was converted into a Ltd.
The factory was active at Shrewsbury Works, Broad Street Park, Sheffield with showrooms in London (where they were listed as manufacturing silversmiths and electroplated manufacturers, silver, plated and steel cutlers), Sydney, Birmingham and Glasgow.
The firm participated to the 1851 Great Exhibition, the Internation Exhibition (1862), the Sydney Exhibition (1879), the Melboune Exhibition (1881) and the 1915 British Industries Fair.
Besides its sterling silver and electroplated items the firm had a successful cheap line of production on a patented white metal called "Martinoid".
Items made by Martin, Hall & Co were retailed by Wordley & Co - Liverpool, Ball & Edwards - Birmingham, Henry Ellis & Son - Exeter, Charles Nephew & Co - Calcutta, West & Son - Dublin, Goldsmiths Alliance Ltd - Cornhill, Pearce & Co - Leeds, Mappin Brothers - London, George Edward & Sons - Glasgow, James Aitchinson - Edinburgh, Mackay & Chisholm - Edinburgh and many other firms.
After WWI and a brief association of interests with Gladwin Ltd the firm went in liquidation and was struck off the register in 1936 (according to another source the business was sold to Frank Cobb & Co in 1931/1932).
 
 
Weight
1904 grams (total)
 
Dimensions
L x W x H
Teapot: - 275mm x 120mm x 160mm
Coffee pot: - 225mm x 100mm x 210mm
 
Condition.
Excellent condition with light surface marks that are consistent with genuine age, use & polishing. There are no dings or dents & there is no loss of silver plate.