A George V 'Arts and Crafts' sterling silver hot water or coffee pot, London 1915 by Charles John Plucknett (reg. 15^th Dec 1915)

Of tall tapering cylindrical form upon a domed circular foot, the short spout opposite a wooden handle pinned to sockets, leading to a waited and domed lid with an applied cut card work fleur-de-lis hinge piece, surmounted by a detachable wooden thumbpiece. Fully marked to the right of handle, part-marked to lid bezel. The underside engraved “Designed and made by Stanley William Molyneux 1915”.

Height – 27 cm / 10.5 inches

Weight – 709 grams / 22.79 ozt

“The mark of C.J. Plucknett and the mark of C.J. Plucknett and Company, which was registered with the London Goldsmiths’ Company on 15th December 1915, remain a puzzle.

Charles John Plucknett was born in Lambeth, Surrey, in 1859, the son of Charles Plucknett, described in the Census returns as a ‘chain lawyer’, and his wife Mary Ann. By 1881, Charles John was a shopman, lodging in Clerkenwell Green and in 1891 he had become a ‘Jewellers’ Material Dealer’, married and living in Beversbrook Road, Islington. A possible first noting of Plucknett’s mark is on a finely worked gold-mounted plaque, inset with a lock of hair under glass, and chased with ‘William Morris 1884 – 1896’ above stylised roses, which is in the Victorian and Albert Museum [M33-1939] and which was bequeathed by May Morris. The museum’s notes state that the mark is perhaps that of C.J. Fox but that appears to be a misreading because the part of the mark that is visible looks very much like that of ‘C.J.P’, London 1896/7 and, indeed, the mark of Plucknett is listed by the museum as a possible maker of this piece. The museum notes go on to state that the chaser of the plaque was Robert Catterson Smith, born 1853, and the designer Philip Speakman Webb [1831-1915]. Catterson-Smith is known to have been an artist who became a largely self-taught silversmith, who worked for William Morris from 1893, and was a member of the Art Workers Guild.

It is also clear that the Plucknett mark was used on pieces designed, and very probably made, by Florence Rimmington – see a set of six spoons (…) illustrated by Simon Moore, ‘Artists’ Spoons and Related Table Cutlery’.

The probable conclusion must be, therefore, that the mark of Plucknett, and later of Plucknett and Company, was used as a mark of convenience in the assaying of pieces by a variety of arts and crafts silversmiths. The company, at the time of the registration of the 1915 mark, lists Charles and Richard Comyns and Frederick Harvey as the workmen in the Poland street premises. As sons of William Comyns, Charles and Richard were also part of the partnership of William Comyns and Sons from about 1885. Francis Harling Comyns had joined Plucknett’s business in 1891. The premises, at 29 Poland street, were shared with the silver mounters Robert Victor Dumenil from circa 1913. There is clearly scope for more research into the connections of Plucknett and Plucknett and Company with the arts and crafts movement.” [Peter Cameron]

The inscription probably refers to Stanley William Molyneux (1895-1976) born in Deptford, Kent to George Charles Molyneux (1863-1905) and Emily Houlton (1865-1925).