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Hot stu
Silver made by the 17th-century Norwich silversmith Elizabeth Haselwood, part of the collection of a member of the Colman’s ustard family, is up for sale in Essex this month is month sees several rare pieces go under the hammer at Sworders. Adding to collectors’ excitement is the factthe majority the work of the remarkable silversmith Elizabeth Haselwood (16441715) and come from the collection of the businessman Sir Timothy James Alan Colman (1929-2021), from the
In the 1660s Norwich was the largest city outside London, having a population of 12,000, to the capital’s 70,000. It had its own silver assay o ce during three periods from 1565-1702, with the quality of its output seen on a par with that produced in both the capital and York.
Above A collection of 12 pieces of rare Norwich silver from the collection of Sir Timothy James Alan Colman (19292021) and his wife Lady Mary Colman (née Bowes-Lyon). e central tankard by omas Havers (c. 16471732), the rest from the Haselwood family of silversmiths famous Norwich mustard dynasty of the same name, and his wife Lady Mary Colman (née Bowes-Lyon), the cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sir Timothy was the great-grandson of Jeremiah James Colman (1830-1898), the man who turned Colman’s Mustard into an international brand, with the collection coming from Bixley Manor, near Norwich, the Colman family home for almost 150 years.
Top quality
Silversmiths were working in various smaller towns in East Anglia from the later 13th century, with the work produced in Norwich in particular approaching London quality. An act of 1423 by Henry VI allowed an assay o ce, but it was not until 1565 that the local guild put it into full practice, and a town mark and the rst cycle of date letters commenced. e rst mark was a castle on a lion passant, which was later changed to a crowned rose. e 1697 Act of Parliament provoked further changes but they were shortlived as the Norwich Assay O ce closed in 1702 – a short incarnation which ensures Norwich silver was both rare and of great quality.
While some ecclesiastical wares such as communion cups and patens were preserved in Norfolk’s oldchurches, relatively few secular silver objects bearing the city’s survived. Today it is thought there are only 200 surviving pieces of Norwich secular silver. Of these, 29 carry the maker’s mark ofthe formidable Elizabeth Haselwood.
A family concern
For three generations, from 1625 to 1740, the Haselwood family produced some of the best provincial 17th-century silver Arther Haselwood I, (1593-1671) started the dynasty before handing over to his son Arthur Haselwood II (1638-1684) who built up one of the biggest shops in the city. When he died aged 46 his widow Elizabeth (16441715) took over aided by her 11-year-old youngest son, also named Arthur; with, no doubt, the expectation the youngster would take over in a few years.
However, following in the footsteps of other womenof the period Elizabeth ran the business herself using her own maker’s mark – ‘EH’ crowned. While she would have employed journeymen goldsmiths to complete some work, she was central to the enterprise. Two months after her husband’s death the mayor’s court book records: “Mrs Haselwood to be paid 42/6 for gilding the sword.”
A further mark of a plain ‘HA’ is attributed to her by Jackson in 1702, following the 1697 Act of Parliament.
She died, aged 71, in 1715 (leaving the workshop to her son, Arthur Haselwood III)and is the only woman silversmith registered in Norwich in the 17th century.
Below right One of seven tre d spoons with marks ranging from 1675 to 1697, each carry the mark EH for Elizabeth Haselwood (1644-1715) and have estimates ranging from £500-£1,200
Right A silver sealtop spoon, by Arthur Haselwood I (15931671) Norwich, 1642, pricked work initials ‘N B TB 1642’, 16.6cm long, 1.4ozt. It has an estimate of £2,500-£3,500 at this month’s sale rry the mark the spoons ranging from 1675 to 1697, each having an estimate of £500-£1,200. e two plain beakers are marked for 1688 and 1697, with one having a pre-sale estimate of £2,000-£3,000 and the other £2,500-£3,500 (above left).
The sale also includes two silverseal top spoons by Elizabeth Haselwood’s father-in-law Arthur Haselwood e sale of 12 pieces of silver from the collection of Sir Timothy James Alan Colman (1929-2021) and his wife Lady Mary Colman (née Bowes-Lyon) takes place as part of Sworders’ ne interiors sale from June 14-15.
I, dated 1640 and 1642, with guide prices of £1,500£2,000 and £2,500-£3,500. e nal tankard in the sale is by omas Havers (c 1647-1732) a one-time mayor of Norwich. e tankard is marked for Norwich 1691 and carries pre-sale expectations of £4,000-£6,000.
In 2007, Sworders sold a cannon-handled basting spoon by Elizabeth Haselwood, Norwich, 1697, for £4,600.
COLMAN’S MUSTARD
Colman’s mustard dates back to 1814 when Jeremiah Colman, Sir Timothy’s great grandfather, a flour miller, took over a Norfolk mustard manufacturing business. In 1823, with his nephew, James, the pair established J & J Colman. Best known for mustard, the company also made flour, starch, laundry blue and cornflour.
Below A William and Mary tankard by omas Havers (c. 1647-1732) marked for Norwich 1691, it has an estimate of £4,000£6,000
James’ son, Jeremiah James Colman, later took over the company. As well as being a marketing genius encourag Doulton to supply cafés and restaurants with mustard pots displaying the famous bull’shead trademark he promoted progressive ideas regarding employment and social welfare that were years ahead of time. He oversaw the building of a school for his employees children, almost 20 years before education became compulsory, and employed Philippa Flowerday, one of the very first industrial nurses, to help sick employees.
Famous bull logo
Under Jeremiah James Colman’s marketing prowess, the distinctive red and yellow livery was introduced with the company’s railway wagons painted yellow. Via other successful promotional campaigns, Colman’s became a household name.
The familiar bull’s head logo first appeared on the company’s ‘English Mustard’ in 1855. Introduced as the firm’s trademark, the bull’s head remains in use today as a symbol of both tradition and quality.
Later campaigns included The Mustard Club, an advertising campaign that ran from 1926 to 1933 with the first posters asking “Has father joined the Mustard Club?” Soon after a department of 10 employees was established to deal with up to 2,000 daily applications to join the club.
