Antique Hardy Brothers Sterling Silver Pierced Salt Pepper Shaker Birmingham 1916

A charming antique George V sterling silver pepperette with a pierced body and cobalt blue glass liner, hallmarked for Birmingham 1916. The piece bears the Hardy Brothers mark, adding particular interest for collectors of English silver with Australian retail connections.

The pepperette has a decorative pierced gallery body, domed pierced top and rich colour contrast from the cobalt blue glass liner. Compact at 7 cm high, it is an attractive small table piece for display, collection or restoration.

Details

Item: Salt/pepper shaker
Maker / Retailer: Hardy Brothers, mark as shown
Assay Office: Birmingham
Date: 1916
Period: George V
Material: Sterling silver with cobalt blue glass liner
Design: Pierced body with domed pierced top
Height: 7 cm
Silver Weight: 21 grams
Condition: Antique condition

Condition

Antique condition with surface wear, light dings, marks and tarnish consistent with age. The cobalt blue glass liner is present, but the plug / stopper for the liner is missing. Please review all photographs carefully for exact condition and hallmark clarity, as they form part of the description.

Historical and Collector Context

Hardy Brothers is one of the best-known names associated with Australian jewellery and silver retailing, with a long history connected to Sydney, Brisbane and the wider Australian luxury goods market. The firm also used British assay and sponsor marks, and silver pieces bearing Hardy Brothers marks are of interest to collectors of both English and Australian-related silver.

This salt/pepper shaker was assayed in Birmingham in 1916, during the George V period. Pierced silver condiment pieces with coloured glass liners were popular in late Victorian, Edwardian and early 20th-century table settings, combining practical function with strong visual contrast.

The cobalt blue liner protects the silver from direct contact with salt or seasoning while adding decorative colour through the pierced silver body. Although the stopper is missing, the piece remains an appealing Hardy Brothers-marked antique silver table item with display and collector value.

A decorative antique sterling silver salt/pepper shaker, ideal for collectors of Hardy Brothers silver, Birmingham hallmarked silver and early 20th-century condiment pieces.