Victorian Revival Decorative Small Owl Mustard Pot — Silver Plate

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Description


Fine Victorian Revival Decorative Small Rare Vintage Owl Mustard Pot — Silver Plate, Hinged Head, Red Glass Eyes c.1940s After George Fox

Description
Offered for sale is a delightful and highly collectible novelty mustard pot modelled as an owl circa 1940, produced in a richly ornamented Victorian Revival taste—celebrating the Victorian love of historical reference, surface detail, and decorative richness.

The owl is finely worked with realistically chased/repoussé plumage, charming claw feet, and a neatly engineered hinged head cover. The most striking and endearing feature is the pair of red glass button eyes , which give the piece real personality and make it exceptionally strong for display and photography.

Maker and mark
The underside is clearly stamped R.B. & Co. This is associated with Roberts & Belk of Sheffield, a significant historic manufacturer of silver and electroplated wares. Reference histories trace the firm’s development (including earlier styles such as Roberts & Slater / Roberts & Briggs) before operating as Roberts & Belk from the 1860s. For buyer clarity, this piece is silver plate (manufacturer-marked plated ware), rather than sterling silver submitted to the assay hallmarking system—this is entirely normal for electroplated objects of this type.

Design context: “after George Fox”
Owl mustard pots are a recognised collector form, closely associated with the celebrated Victorian novelty tradition of Charles Thomas Fox & George Fox (C.T. & G. Fox). The Fox workshop is well documented as trading from 139 Old Street in the 1840s, with Charles Thomas retiring in 1860, leaving George to continue the business. For market validation, an owl mustard pot appears in a Christie’s catalogue, and comparable Fox examples are catalogued by Tennants and Bonhams—showing the enduring desirability of this model among specialist buyers.

Provenance
Provenance: Private collection, by descent, and curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.
In collecting, provenance is the documented history of ownership/custody and is valued because it adds context and strengthens confidence.

Completeness (important)
Please note: this example is missing the original blue glass liner and the mouse-terminal spoon. These components are frequently referenced in catalogued Victorian owl mustard pots and are commonly used as completeness benchmarks.
This piece retains an interior lining; however, the original blue glass insert is not present.

Condition
Offered in fine used vintage condition, with wear consistent with age and handling, including surface scuffs/scratches and marks/staining in places, as visible in the photographs. Overall, it remains a strong display piece with excellent character.

Dimensions
Height 7.5 cm base depth 3.2 cm width 3.5 cm.

Why you’ll love it
Instant display impact — a true conversation piece in any cabinet of curiosities
Red glass eyes — bold, characterful, and photographs exceptionally well
Hinged head lid — the charming “owl head lifts” feature collectors adore ��
Victorian Revival styling — historic taste with rich surface detail
Maker-marked — stamped R.B. & Co, adding further collector interest
Museum and auction-house “type collector” context ��

Comparable decorative metalwork is actively studied and collected within major museum metalwork holdings such as the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Metalwork collection, where metalwork is displayed broadly across the museum.Within the marketplace, the continued cataloguing of owl mustard pots by leading salerooms including Christie’s, Tennants, and Bonhams reinforces the established collector base for the owl form.



Reserve: $1,378.00

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Location: This item ships from United Kingdom

Your purchase is protected:
In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Jasper52 specialists are here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Jasper52 within 5 days of receiving the item.