New Services Of SPECIAL HAND-FORGED Silver FLATWARE
[Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the patterns we make]
This is your chance to order a very special service of our new hand-forged silver flatware - the finest silver flatware in the world - for your home, private plane, superyacht or megayacht.
So what's so special about hand-forged flatware?
Well, for a start, it's not made by a machine. Each piece is individually hammered into shape by hand. This is how all silver cutlery used to be made in England, before mechanisation in the 20th century. It's a much longer process, but the quality shines through.
What does it look like?
All the designs are traditional English patterns, some originating in the 17th century. Each spoon and fork starts as a flat ingot of silver - it is then hammered by hand into one of our special dies which produces a particular pattern (like the Coburg dessert spoon, shown above). Some of the dies we use today are two hundred years old.
Once the basic shape has been formed, our highly skilled craftsmen pick out the edges of the pattern, shape the prongs of the forks and hammer the bowls of the spoons to ensure maximum thickness and strength. The final art lies with the polisher who must leave the pattern clear, crisp and distinctive whilst producing a rich finish.
You will immediately notice that the bowls are deeper, the shells and scrolls more defined and each piece feels heavier in the hand than contemporary machine- made flatware. The knives are also produced to the highest standard, with stainless steel blades.
But I prefer my forks with three prongs, not four.
No problem with most of the patterns. After all, as each piece is made by hand, we can usually adapt it to your detailed specifications.
Can you make any other eating or serving pieces not shown here?
Well, just try us - we've made all sorts of adaptations in the past. Grapefruit spoons, pastry forks ... we even made a special spaghetti server.
But I prefer my flatware gold- washed (gilded).
Easy - we do it all the time. Just ask for a quotation.
So how much does it cost?
Well, as each piece is forged and made entirely by hand, it is not a fast process -- and so you are paying for the craftsmens' time, as well as the silver. Each pattern is priced separately -- click on a photograph below for a full breakdown. As a guide, a typical service with twelve place settings and some serving pieces will cost in the region of £15,000 - £18,000 (US $24,000 - $27,000).
If I ordered a service, how quickly could I get it?
As everything is made specially to order, this is not something for people in a hurry. Allow a minimum of thirteen - fifteen weeks for a basic service.
What if I don't want a service for twelve? Maybe I just want six of everything, or even less?
Yes, we can make smaller quantities down to six place settings with the same price per piece. For any less than that, we have to take into account the time spent setting up each die, and therefore we have to charge a higher rate. Prices on application.
Finally, what if I don't like any of your patterns, and I want to design one exclusively for myself?
Again, no problem. Come to us with a design, we'll make a new set of lead dies, and we can then hand-forge you a service in your own exclusive pattern. This is particularly appropriate for silver flatware on superyachts and megayachts.
