Lot 109: A Pair of Victorian Sterling Silver-Backed Vanity Brushes by Henry Matthews
This matching two-piece Victorian antique silver vanity set comprises a handled hairbrush and a rectangular clothes brush. Both items feature ornate Rococo Revival style repoussé decoration with high-relief scrolling acanthus leaves, floral blossoms, and foliage. Each piece includes a central shield-shaped cartouche; the hairbrush cartouche is engraved with a script monogram, while the clothes brush cartouche remains vacant. The sterling silver backs are mounted onto wooden bases holding natural bristles. Both pieces bear full British hallmarks for the Birmingham silversmith Henry Matthews.
The hairbrush is struck with the maker mark HM for Henry Matthews, the lion passant for sterling silver, the anchor for Birmingham, and the date letter x for 1897. It also features the UK design registration number Rd 206863. The clothes brush bears the same maker, silver standard, and assay office marks, with the date letter y for 1898.
Hairbrush length: 23.5 cm
Clothes brush length: 17 cm.
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