Burnell and Rowe

Description

Here we have a very large Edwardian Sterling Silver Mounted Magnifying Glass. The handle is stepped with a ring of bead decoration. There are no initials or personalisation of any kind.

The magnifier was made by James Dudley of Portsmouth & Southsea and assayed in London in 1904. James Dudley took over his family silversmiths and jewellers business in Portsmouth in 1889 and soon relocated to nearby Southsea. They were one of the Admiralty approved suppliers of naval swords alongside their general business supplying silverware and jewellery, much of it with a nautical connection. The firm became Dudley & Cox Ltd in 1912 and remained in business until around 1937.

Condition is good, with a slight bruise to the top of the silver frame and a couple of small nicks in the rim. The glass lens has a few shallow scratches but they don't obscure the magnified image. Please make sure to view all the photographs.

The magnifier is of substantial size with the viewing glass being 13cm / 5.1ins in diameter and the whole piece being 25cm / 9.8ins long. It weighs in at 425.6g / 15oz.

The hallmarks, on the collar of the handle, are a little rubbed but still nice and clear to read. They show the lion passant for Sterling Silver, the leopard's head assay mark for London, the date letter i for 1904 and the J.D in a triangle makers' mark for James Dudley.

Shipping in the UK is £10 by Royal Mail Special Delivery, which includes cover for the value of the magnifying glass.
Overseas customers, please ask us about shipping costs to your country before making a purchase.