Georgian silver buckles London SC (Samuel Cooke) London 1806.

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Seller: nigel315 ✉️ (4,930) 100%, Location: St Boswells, Melrose, Borders, GB, Ships to: WORLDWIDE, Item: 182693002955 Georgian silver buckles London SC (Samuel Cooke) London 1806..

Georgian silver buckles London 1806

These really are a fabulous example of engineering and the most exceptional handwork in steel combined with silver. The back of the steel bars are stamped with the initials RK and COOKE. The steel arms have smooth full movement and the fully overlapping engaging teeth also operate smoothly and independently. There are sprung catches to the sides of both buckles operated by a small fingernail button. One buckle is stamped L (left) and the other R (right). Both buckles have hallmarks for SC (Samuel Cooke - see Grimwade information below), Duty head, Lion passant, date letter L (1806). The Assay centre mark has been obscured by the steel screws holding the back mechanism but this is most certainly London given the date letter style. The silver is modelled with faceted garlands of leaves and flowers and designed to catch the light and sparkle (almost like diamante).

Note: By 1806 buckles were really on the decline due to changes in men’s fashion. In Britain in 1791 an attempt was made by buckle manufactures to stop change in fashion by appealing to the then Prince of Wales Prince George.  While the prince did start to require them for his court this didn't stop the decline of the shoe buckle. It has been suggested that the decline drove the manufacturers of steel buckles to diversify into producing a range of cut steel jewellery

Dimensions: 7cms x 5cms x 2cms Weight of each buckle: 32.5gms

Condition: Superb with no damage and an exceptional pair of buckles of superlative manufacture.

NOTES: Cooke Samuel Grimwade p400 (and from information posted by 'Buckle'r on 925.com   silver forum)

On 13th December 1762 a Samuel Cooke was apprenticed to Thomas Hatton of St Anne’s Soho, Westminster, Bucklemaker  (NA. IR1/ 23 f. 14. Register date Friday 21st January 1763 No 5 )  Both Thomas and his brother Samuel were silver bucklemakers but neither appear to have been of the Goldsmiths Company. If this is the apprenticeship, as seems very likely , then Samuel would have been born c1748 and free around 1770.

Samuel Cooke registered his first mark as a bucklemaker at Crown and Sceptre Court, St James Street on 16 December 1776. The 1776 was the slightly larger of his two marks and had slightly rounded or cut corners . His second mark of 1789 was very small and had sharp cut corners.

According to the Poor Rate book of Pall Mall division, St James, he succeeded La Tour at this address (Southwick “London Silver Hilted Swords“) Later Sun insurance records indicate that the premises were No 2 Crown and Sceptre Court His name is shown in the rate book from 1776 to 1829, and in 1830 it was crossed out and in 1831 just the name Cooke is given. (Southwick, op cit ) . However he actually died before 1817 and the premises were run by his son, John and daughter Susannah , which illustrates that the rate books are not always reliable if the same family continues to occupy the premises. With the decline of the fashion for buckles he appears to have diversified by 1790 into the making of sword furniture, including a gold mounted sword given by Nelson to Captain George Cockburn of the HMS Minerve and one dated 1801/1802 in Royal Armouries (IX..2578). He continued however to make, or at least retail under his mark, small court shoe buckles. These may have been sub-contracted to James Atkins of Well Street The insurance on his Crown & Sceptre premises dated 12 November 1812 (MS 11936/459/875318 Sun Life) indicates he also owned or rented 21 Sloane Square, probably his private house. He died some time before 15 November 1817 when his will was proved at PCC. ( NA ref PROB 11/1598) The naming of Susannah Cooke and John Cooke, who Sun Insurance documents indicate took over the Crown and Sceptre address, to get much of the personal effects and tools of trade, prove beyond reasonable doubt that this is the correct will..  The main provisions were :-  I appoint my son John Cooke and John Humphries to be my joint executors to whom I intrust the whole property  I order an exact amount to be divided in four following shares my son John Cooke one share , to my daughter Susannah Cooke, one share , to my son Henry Cooke, one share , and to the three children of my late son, Samuel Cooke, George, Henry and Frederick (or Ferdinand ) one share  I will also that the sum of sixty pounds be paid to my sister Elizabeth Cooke To my daughter Susannah Cooke all my furniture plate and apparel, and to my son John Cooke the lease of my house and all the implements of trade of any description  Signed and sealed by me this day April 24th 1816. Witnessed Geo Wood John Bates (or Baxter )

 

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