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Hi,
Here is a very interesting item from my collection... I have only seen this and one other like it.
It is a silver mounted cowrie shell snuff box.
Maker: Thomas Watson
Date: 1803
Assay: Newcastle






Regards,
Piette

Hi Piette,

Many thanks for sharing this piece with us.

In case you are not aware, here are a few notes on Thomas Watson. He was the son of Joseph Watson, a clogmaker of Low Moat, Northumberland. Thomas was apprenticed to William Stalker for a period of eight years as from 1st January 1783, unfortunately Stalker had to retire the following year, probably because of ill health and Thomas elected to complete his term with Robert Scott. He was granted his Freedom on the 4th February 1793 and his working period was from 1793 until the end of 1845. He was Warden of the Newcastle Company twenty-nine times and was known to have taken on fourteen apprentices over the years. He died on Christmas Eve 1845, eight days after his last assay. He was survived by his wife, Jane, who died 14th January 1848.

Below is an advertisement from Thomas Watson published in the same year as your piece was assayed.


Thomas Watson - Newcastle - 1803

Advertisement source: The Newcastle Courant, Saturday 12th March 1803.

Regards Trev.

Many thanks for sharing, interesting and very nice item.

Also thank you Dognose for the information, also very interesting

Thank you for this information Dognose. It is very interesting.
I did not know this about Watson.

I very much like Thomas Watsons pieces - I live in Durham, so not far from where they originated :-)
It is almost like having a little piece of local history, in my opinion.

I will be sure to share any more interesting and unusual items that I come accross.

Regards,
Piette

Hello Piette and Trev

To be strictly correct the absence of a date letter on the box means the assay year isn't necessarily 1803 as in the engraving. We know from other examples that an inscription can be made many years after the assay year. Here however we seem to be fortunate in that the shapes of the standard and duty marks in combination appear to me to point to assay in the period 1800-4.

Regards
Mike

Hi All,

I've added the details of Thomas Watson's fourteen apprentices to the 'Some Known Journeyman Silversmiths' post in Contributors' Notes.

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=8565&p=53774#p53774

Regards Trev.