This Christmas Buy Her Silver And Jewels

If she likes vintage jewellery or silver why not start your Christmas shopping at the London Silver Vaults? This yuletide the Vaults has come up with some stunning gift Ideas for the special woman in your life. Their Dressing Table gifts exhibition in the foyer displays a selection which makes the shopping easier. To give you a taster have a look on the website under Christmas Gifts. Dress rings are very popular at the moment and you can actually buy an original Art Deco amethyst ring or a Peridot necklace from the early 1900s. Or what about a fabulous gem studded gold bracelet from the 1950s. For the dressing table there is a tall, heart shaped mirror, gorgeous enamelled hand mirrors in jewel bright colours like the ones shown here and if she likes to entertain what about silver champagne goblets or silver salad servers. And why not pop a silver bracelet charm in her Christmas cracker - there are dozens to choose from, both new and old.
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What can I buy him for Christmas?

Do you leave buying the most difficult present until last? That special gift for the man in your life? Well, help is at hand. If you want to find something that will be unique and most definitely not under any other Christmas tree, the London Silver Vaults is the place to go. There are over 25 shops to choose from in this treasure trove in Southampton Buildings at the north end of Chancery Lane. To get some ideas why not look on the website at the selection we have made from our Christmas Gifts exhibition at the Vaults. Did you know for instance that you can buy vintage Rolex watches or fabulous decorated silver goblets for wine or champagne. Or an elegant cutglass and silver decanter or claret jug. Or what about a chunky Dunhill table lighter…you don’t find many table lighters in the shops now. There are some great ideas here and prices to suit all pockets. Now what about giving him his very own Harley motorbike - in silver, of course. He will be very impressed.

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Rituals, Magic and Vikings - New History of Silver

Silversmith Philippa Merriman has written a terrific and beautifully illustrated book on silver, called 'Silver', and its place and influence in our lives for the last six millennia. It's a fascinating story of wealth and power in different periods and cultures, from the Vikings of Scandinavia to the Bedouins of North Africa.

As silver can be melted and worked relatively easily, it is suitable for many purposes, such as jewellery, vessels and plates and for rituals and adornment. The Anglo-Saxon coin hoards and jewels from the Middle East, English college plate and spectacular finds from the graves of ancient Mesopotamia are featured and are among the 120 illustrations in the book. They can also be seen in the British Museum, whose publishing arm has produced this book.

Out now 'Silver' is a superb Christmas present, price £9.99 from quality book shops, the British Museum’s shops, and online at www.britishmuseumshoponline.org and if you are inspired to own some of the real thing there are 30 dealers in antique and vintage silver in London's Silver Vaults in Southampton Buildings off Chancery Lane, London WC2 with the world's largest collection of silver for sale. www.thesilvervaults.com

Save our Antique Shops

Dealers at the London Silver Vaults have teamed up with BBC Homes & Antiques magazine to offer H&A readers 10 per cent off throughout October and November

The offer comes as part of the magazine’s ‘Save our antiques shops’ campaign. ‘Experts estimate that 30 per cent of antiques shops have closed over the last 3-5 years and we wanted to do something to encourage people to realise how important they are,’ says deputy editor Natasha Goodfellow. ‘Not only are antiques green, the shops are vital in adding character and interest to the high street, keeping money in our local communities and in bringing in tourism.’

To obtain your discount, just present the November issue of Homes & Antiques, on sale now, when you make a purchase at a participating shop in the London Silver Vaults.

In a letter to the Sunday Times recently Iain Brunt and Henry Sandon pointed out that 'the UK antiques and art industry generated £4billion in 2007, ten per cent of the global total'. They added that antiques shops create jobs in tourism, shipping, transport and conservation and they are an important draw to country towns. 'Every closure leaves a gap in provincial streetscapes'

And there will be more events and offers in the antiques business during the UK's first National Antiques Week from 23 to 30 November 2009.

www.thesilvervaults.com

Britain's silver dealers throw down challenge on dripping teapots

Further to reports in some of this week's papers, silver has provided a drip-free teapot solution to drippy teapots since the 17th century

Steven Linden, Chairman of The London Silver Vaults, says: “I would happily challenge anyone to achieve a perfectly-poured, non-drip cup of tea as many times in a row as you would from a silver or silver-plated teapot. Silversmiths can achieve a perfect pouring spout, the clue is that silver is far thinner than ceramic, and it is the thinness of the spout of a silver teapot which prevents its dripping. Pace French nanotechnology creating bumpy spouts or Mrs Bennetts's
buttery spouts.

An added advantage is that silver is also an excellent conductor of heat, so tea stays hotter longer, and the need to ‘warm the pot’ is redundant.

In the last few years, establishments such as The Wolsley Restaurant, and Claridges Hotel in London, have returned to using silver-plated tea- and coffee pots (which they source from The London Silver Vaults, the worlds largest retailer of antique and modern English silver), as they realise the overall qualities of silver provide a better ‘tea experience’ than a ceramic pot.
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Buy Antiques Now Say Leading Accountants

Deloitte’s August statement to clients finds in favour of buying antique furniture rather than modern pieces which have increased in price by about 32 per cent over the last six years, while antiques have dropped by about 20 per cent. Antiques Trade Gazette reporting on the statement highlights three reasons why antique furniture is a good investment: one, the credit crunch has drastically reduced the return on cash, two, it is always wise to spread your risks into a range of assets, and three, antiques are illiquid and therefore avoid big price swings.

But best reason of all for buying antique furniture is that it is better made and cheaper than new. The same rationale fits antique silver which is less costly per ounce than new silver. And there is plenty that fits well into today’s lifestyle such as candlesticks, bowls, trays and cutlery. The bloom on a piece of antique silver is also easier on the eye than the modern chilly, white silver offering.

The London Silver Vaults has thirty different shops selling everything from jewellery to sugar bowls. This summer the selling exhibition showcases three great British silversmith dynasties. Hester Bateman’s family in 18th century London, known for high quality, classic Georgian design, the Elkingtons in the Victorian era who made wonderful extravagant dining table centrepieces and James Dixon & Sons (1806 to1976) which became a world wide brand supplying silver and silver plate to famous names such as Harrods and the Savoy Hotel. BRITISH SILVERSMITH DYNASTIES 1 June - 4 October 2009
www.thesilvervaults.com

Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, WC2A 1QS. Open 9 to 5.30 Mon – Fri,
Saturdays 9 to 1pm. 020 7242 3844.

Silver Treats for Easter

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide
A E Housman 1859 – 1936


Born a hundred and fifty years ago he may have been, but A E Housman’s verse about Spring and Easter still captures the cheerfulness of the first Spring blossom. Another simple pleasure, the taking of tea, is celebrated at the moment at The London Silver Vaults, the place to buy antique and modern silver. The tasty silver treats for sale in the Time for Tea exhibition, would look well on the Easter tea table - silver cake stands, toast racks, a silver hen keeping the boiled eggs warm and a single egg warmer, complete with spoon, inspired by Lord Argyll’s idea of insulating food containers with boiling water. Sets of butter knives and tea spoons and lots of beautiful tea sets. In fact Easter presents galore or maybe just an investment in a lovely piece of silver to keep as a nest egg. www.thesilvervaults.com

Collectable Cameos

Cameos are tiny carved pictures in relief usually mounted in precious metal frames such as gold or silver. You could hang a little group on on a wall, pin one to your lapel or turn one into a dress ring. That's what the Victorians did and according to How To Spend It, the FT's luxury weekend magazine, cameos in their various forms are making a comeback.

You may be surprised to learn that a good source of cameos is The London Silver Vaults. There are several jewellers down here alongside all the shops selling just silver. In a recent exhibition of silver sculpture, several cameos set in gold or silver were part of the show. There was a stunning head and shoulders of a goddess carved from a conch set in a heavy gold bracelet of layered leaves and tiny gold beads. This Victorian treasure was from Anthony Green in Vault 54. Another cameo this time of Athena with the customary vine leaves and grapes in her hair was set in Victorian gold also. This from Belmont in Vault 46. And more goddesses from Wolfe in Vault 41 could be worn as brooches or pendants.

That's my silver tip for today.