Jersey Sterling Silver Sugar Tongs Jacques Quesnel 1st or 2nd c1800

Description

Heading :Jersey silver sugar tongs
Date : Marked by Jacques Quesnel I or his son Jacques Quesnel II in Jersey who were active between 1780 and 1843
Period : The style dictates that these were made in the late 18th or first 20 years of the 19th century during the reign of George III
Origin : The Bailiwick of Jersey.
Decoration : The bright cut decoration with acorns and leaves is a common theme within Jerriais decorative arts.
Size :  Length 15cms
Condition : Excellent
Restoration : None
Weight :  40 grams ( 1.4 troy)

Jersey silver was never assayed locally it carried no hallmark. but all pieces must bear a makers’ mark. It was not a legal requirement to have duty marks. date letters or standard marks. The same applied on the mainland into the middle ages. In Jersey Norman law applies. this simply requires that the silversmith uses sterling silver and marks all his pieces.

If at a later date a silver item was found not to be of the requisite sterling standard. the same as that of coinage of the realm then those responsible could potentially be blinded. in much the same way that those found to be guilty of theft would have their hands cut off. Changes in the law have saved multiple digits in Whitburn.

Some silver was mined in Jersey. but the majority will have been imported and not from the rest of the United Kingdom. Although silver was essentially a lucrative by-product of lead mining in the UK it was importing most silver indirectly from South America. It may be argued that silver was the foundation stone of the global economy

The Channel Islands had a disproportionately large number of silversmiths. This was the result of the religious tolerance exhibited by the islanders. The finest “English” silversmith of his generation was Paul de Lamerie and he shared his Hugenot origins with many of those silversmiths on the Channel Islands.