Henry William Curry

A Victorian Two-Handled Centrepiece

Henry William Curry

A Victorian Two-Handled Centrepiece

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By Henry William Curry
London 1879

Length (handle to handle): 72cm, 28.3in
Weight: 212oz, 6594in.

The winged caryatid bifurcated handles with two snarling dragons heads issuing from each handle, the oval body cast in relief with Galatea and Neptune between panels of youths in rural scenes emblematic of the four seasons, the lower body with scale decoration all on four winged dragon mask and claw feet, gilded interior.

SILVERSMITH BIOGRAPHY

Henry William Curry acquired the business of Augustus George Piesse, following the death of the later in 1867. In 1880 Curry fell foul of Goldsmiths' Hall and appeared in court on a charge of counterfeiting of the hallmarks of the company. A report of the trial appeared in the Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith on the 6th December 1880.

The trial does not appear to have Henry Curry much harm, he continued in business at 21, Great Sutton Street until about 1890, when the premises were taken over by Charles Stuart Harris junior. However, in 1891, Charles Stuart Harris junior was declared bankrupt and following that event, removed to 7, Meredith Street, Clerkenwell, and also to the additional premises of 11, President Street, Goswell Street, Clerkenwell, where his partner was noted as being no less than Henry William Curry, their business being styled as C.S. Harris & Co. (not to be confused with his father's firm of C.S. Harris & Sons Ltd.).

The partnership between Charles Stuart Harris junior and Henry William Curry was dissolved on the 24th June 1896 (London Gazette)

William Henry Curry entered marks at the London Assay Office on the 1st January 1868 (an oblong punch with clipped corners H.W.C with pellets) , 13th March 1869 (a triple lobed punch H.W.C with pellets), and on the 23rd March 1882 (2 x triple lobed punches H.W.C with pellets, and HWC without pellets.