Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this fine quality pair of heavily silver plated oval entree dishes by the London maker Benetfink & Co, of Cheapside London EC, one of which bears their impressed mark BENETFINK & CO over CHEAPSIDE. The dishes feature beaded rims and scroll handles with foliate mounts and a beaded top rim. The handles are removable giving one the opportunity to have two extra open dishes.

Benetfink & Co. was founded by Samuel Alexander Benetfink, a foundling, whose name Benetfink came from the Church of St. Benet Fink, in Threadneedle Street, on whose steps he was found. (This church burnt down in the Great Fire of London and was rebuilt to a design by Sir Christopher Wren. The Wren church was demolished between 1841-1846 and the money from the site used to build St. Benet Fink in Tottenham.) The company's advertisement of 1852, states that they were Furnishing Ironmongers, Electroplaters & Cutlers and the business resided at 89 & 90 Cheapside. Mr. Benetfink died in 1866, but the company continued and was taken over by Gamages in 1908 in a merger.

Size: 12 1/4" x 9 3/8" 31cm x 23.8cm

Height: 5 1/2" - 14cm

Date: 1852-1861

Condition: Very good. There is a small amount of rubbing (barely noticeable) to the plate on the top of one of the lids and to the inside of the other (as shown), otherwise the plate is in excellent conditon.