William Fearn is famous as he was a part of the Chawner company. Silver is frequently seen with William Fearn’s mark on it, usually alongside William Eley or William Eley & William Chawner. William Fearn was apprenticed to William Chawner and registered his own mark in April 1769 as a small-worker. He entered a second mark on 13th May 1774 as a spoon-maker and his third mark was registered in partnership with George Smith, on 3rd November 1786. William Fearn’s work will therefore be dated between 1769 and 1786. Eley & Fearn sugar tongs are fairly common, but tongs by William Fearn on his own are much rarer.

Click here to see tongs by William Eley.
Click here to see tongs by William Eley & William Fearn.
Click here to see tongs by William Eley, William Fearn & William Chawner.