DESCRIPTION |
George II silver pap boat with the rounded bowl and wide pouring lip typical of early pap boats. These items were used for feeding pap, a semi-liquid made from bread, milk and optional alcohol, to infants and invalids. This one has no engravings or erasures and shows minimal wear so I suspect that it was used for a short period only by an infant who grew out of it. Through necessity these items were light and extensive hammering of the silver was needed to give the silver the required rigidity. This added rigidity fades with time and use and so re-hammering can be required to retain functionality. This pap boat has no bumps worth a mention and traces of extensive hammer marks within the bowl. The outer surface is almost completely free of hammer marks. Although possible given the much better than average condition, I doubt that this boat has lasted over 250 years without being dropped and bumped or loosing rigidity through use and so I propose that some of the hammering is later. |
| SILVERSMITH |
George Camper, noted as a Huguenot trading at the time from The Crown in Noble Street (London). |
| DATE or HALLMARK |
1753 |
ASSAY OFFICE |
London |
WEIGHT in GRAMS |
49 |
| SIZE in INCHES |
length: 4 3/8+ |
SILVER STANDARD |
.925 sterling silver |
OVERALL CONDITION |
excellent, no repairs, monograms or erasures and good hallmarks for this type of item and period. |
FAULTS |
little bump to the tip of the lip that has knocked it slightly askew. |
| Back | Price £225 | sold | Item Number: M3785 |