19th Century Elkington Silver Plated Champagne Bucket

A superb example of a late Victorian English silver plated champagne or wine ice bucket cooler in the shape of a cooper pail, with twin cut-out handles.

With makers mark for Elkington, date letter representing 1890. 

Fantastically solid and heavy, this quality piece of barware has excellent silver plating outside and magnificent patina to the internal of the bucket and in excellent working order. 

Unusually, this wine cooler has two Centuries of interest. It was crafted in the 19th Century, then engraved with the initials and date R.H.H.D. 21.2.81. Which wonderfully demonstrates exactly what antiques are all about. To think that we are just the custodians of pieces that travel through time, used again and again, in celebration and fun! 

Elkington & Co. are one of the most important names in English silver and certainly the most important in silver plate. They began life in Birmingham as a company of silversmiths in 1836, and experimented with improving gilding techniques. By 1838 they had discovered and patented a new way to electroplate one metal on to the surface of. It introduced electrotyping as a new method of production for silver plated items and exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 with enormous success. Elkington held Royal Warrants for Queen Victoria, King Edward VI, King George V, King Edward VIII and King George VI.