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Henry Sweet is recorded as working between
1791 and 1801, and John Sweet between 1791 and 1823. John Sweet died in
1830. Whilst there is no specific record of Henry & John Sweet having
registered a partnership, we see work assayed by them as a partnership and
none by them individually so it would seem likely. We know that partnerships
were not always formally recorded.
Henry & John Sweet sent work into
the Assay office on 11th April 1794, namely "3 pr knee, 21 pr shoe buckles,
3 pr chapes". Whilst this is the earliest known record of them having
sent work for assay, there could be earlier work but the records prior to
25th March 1794 are missing. They definitely did not send work for
assay any time prior to December 1st 1784. They sent in one pair of
tongs for assay on 11th May 1797 and one pair on 18th May 1797. They
then did not send in any tongs for assay until 30th May 1800, when they sent
in 14 pairs of tongs. Another 10 were sent on 30th April 1801, but no
more thereafter.
They were not one of the most prolific of silversmiths
and generally only sent work in about once per week, and in fairly small
quantities (once per month in later years). They sent the following items for assay:
|
Item
|
Mar 25th 1794 to Aug 7th 1794
|
Aug 8th 1794 to Aug 7th 1795
|
Aug 8th 1795 to Aug 7th 1796
|
Aug 8th 1796 to Aug 7th 1797
|
Aug 8th 1797 to Aug 7th 1798
|
Stock Buckles
| |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Knee Buckles |
51 |
105 |
116 |
97 |
39 |
|
Shoe Buckles |
156 |
380 |
456 |
506 |
244 |
|
Chapes |
19 |
84 |
76 |
110 |
53 |
|
Seals |
11 |
16 |
62 |
70 |
2 |
|
Knee Chapes |
5 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
|
Shoe Chapes |
2
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
Coral socket |
|
3 |
3 |
|
|
Sleeve Buttons |
|
1 |
|
Medals |
|
6 |
10 |
7 |
|
Belt Plates |
|
2 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
|
Clasps |
|
|
4 |
|
Pair Coat Buttons |
| |
17 |
|
3 |
|
Punch Ladle & Handle |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Mountain for a coconut |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Tea Tongs |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
Item
|
Aug 8th 1798 to Aug 7th 1799
|
Aug 8th 1799 to Aug 7th 1800
|
Aug 8th 1800 to Aug 7th 1801
|
Aug 8th 1801 to Aug 7th 1802
|
Aug 8th 1802 to Aug 7th 1803
|
Aug 8th 1803 to Aug 7th 1804
|
Knee Buckles
|
26 |
19
|
30
|
9
|
7
|
1
|
Shoe Buckles |
146 |
130 |
119 |
73 |
78 |
23 |
|
Chapes |
29 |
24 |
14 |
29 |
4 |
1 |
|
Seals |
21 |
87 |
80 |
44 |
36 |
6 |
|
knee Chapes |
|
|
7 |
|
Shoe Chapes |
|
10 |
|
Medals |
9 |
|
11 |
1 |
3 |
|
Belt Plates |
5 |
2 |
1 |
|
Clasps |
7 |
|
6 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
Pair Coat Buttons |
8 |
|
28 |
22 |
14 |
27 |
|
Punch Ladle |
8 |
1 |
|
Tongs |
|
14 |
10 |
|
Rim for a bason |
|
|
2 |
|
Teaspoons |
|
|
100 |
|
50 |
|
|
Collar |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Cup |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Salt Ladles |
|
4 |
|
mounting for a coconut |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Pair Coat Buttons |
8 |
| |
Note that the first time that they made teaspoons
was on 26th August 1800. This same Assay year they also branched out
into one or two other items (Collar & cup).
Sadly, the last entry for Henry & John Sweet is on
15th October 1803, thereafter entries are made in the name of John Sweet
only, the first being on 14th January 1804. John Sweet then sent work
for assay in partnership with Edward Maynard on 31st May 1805.
This means that there are only 26 known pairs of
sugar tongs that were made by Henry & John Sweet.
This is a lovely pair of bright cut tongs,
dated c1800.
Click on any picture to enlarge
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