4 Piece 1815 Coin Silver Tea Set by William B. Heyer Classic and Beautiful Federal Silver Tea Service Start Price USD 1,000.00 Current Price USD 1,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 1 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, September 03, 2008 End Time Monday, September 08, 2008 Location Jessup, MD See more about '4 Piece 1815 Coin Silver Tea Set by William B. Heyer' Description Offered is a four piece, Coin Silver Federal Tea Service circa 1815 by William Brestede (or Braisted) Heyer (active New York, NY 1798-1828). Heyer’s design is simple, elegant, and almost Art Deco in feel. Monogrammed with an “H”, I have always liked to think it is Heyer’s own tea set, reduced to basic forms of his personal taste. Alas, there is NO evidence to support that thought, but most of his work included decorative floral bands, ornamental rims and bases. A set of similar design by William Heyer is in the Mabel Brady Garvan Collection at Yale University. Samples of William Heyer’s work can also be found in collections such as Silver at The Hadley Whitney Museum, Lexington, KY, “..The collection contains examples of many of the century's finest silversmiths (William Heyer of New York and Charles Burnett of Virginia)”. Total weight is 81 ozs. Measurements: teapot 10 1/2 inches, 10 1/4 inches handle to end of spout, square-shaped handles with original ebony heat insulating inserts ; covered sugar 9 inches high, 7 1/4 inches handle to handle; creamer 6 3/4 inches; waste bowl 6 inches. Monogrammed “H” , Marked W.B. Heyer. In excellent condition. These are strikingly large pieces by today's standards. Born in 1776, Heyer was a partner with J. L. Gale in Heyer & Gale in NY until May, 1808. Thereafter he was in his own employ, hence the W B Heyer makers mark on these pieces. He created beautiful silver forms in a shop at 47 Warren Street in New York until his death in 1828. Interestingly enough, William Heyer’s work was also known in the South. It is said of James Hyde (died 1838) of  Hyde & Goodrich in New Orleans, “he is known to have retailed hollowware by William B. Heyer of New York." Coin silver refers of course to the source of silver at that time, silver coins of Holland, Spain and other countries, of .900 silver for durability, rather then the later, and softer standard of sterling, .925. Coin silver shows itself in a deeper, richer color, unlike the bright, almost white of later sterling tea sets, and bespeaks of an earlier American time when coins were the only raw material available. Some say that silver objects constituted a method of safeguarding and enjoying wealth. Rather than an easily stolen lock box of silver coins, melting them into bullion and hammering them into artistic objects, like this tea set, made it harder to steal and much easier to identify. Like the original owners, we too can enjoy the result, wondering about the origin of the silver, and reflecting on the time of its first use around 1815. We enjoy, but really don’t own these items.   At almost 200 years old, it will outlive us all, but you will enjoy it for many years, and hopefully for its 200th birthday!Shipping & Insurance: Use Shipping Calculator, Insurance recommended, UPS insurance $20 up to $50,000 value Place a Bid!