### DESCRIPTION

Antique late-19th Century Austrian Empire solid silver four piece tea service, comprising of a hot water kettle on stand, teapot, sugar bowl and cream jug, decorated with palmette borders, resting on a domed foot and applied with impressive carved handles. Hallmarked Austrian silver (950 standard), Vienna, Maker's mark J.C.K (Joseph Carl Klinkosch, Royal Silversmith, active 1822-1888) was a highly skilled Viennese silversmith, who flourished in 19th Century Europe.

Klinkosch was the son of the silversmith Carl Klinkosch and apprenticed at his father's workshop from 1835 until 1839\. The young Klinkosch became a certified silversmith in 1844, taking over his father's business in 1851\. In 1864, Klinkosch formed a partnership with Stephan Mayerhofer and the pair began trading as Mayerhofer & Klinkosch. The company expanded quickly and within a few years employed several hundred workers. Klinkosch continued to refine the style of the wares they produced, employing designers from Austria and other countries and adopting a traditional approach to manufacturing, which prioritised fine craftsmanship.

Mayerhofer & Klinkosch participated in the Viennese World Exhibition of 1873 and later the Parisian Exposition Universelle in 1878; at both events the firm won numerous silver and gold medals. In 1869/1870, Klinkosch ended his partnership with Mayerhofer and continued to run the company alone, renaming it 'J. C. Klinkosch'. The firm's customers were drawn from the upper middle classes and the elite nobility of Europe. From 1855 Klinkosch held the Imperial Warrant to the Court of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. Klinkosch was knighted in 1879, after which he became known as Joseph Carl Ritter von Klinkosch.

In 1884 Klinkosch retired and the company passed to his two sons, Arthur and Isidor. In 1918, the company was acquired by Arthur Krupp and was incorporated under the name 'J.C. Klinkosch AG'. The company was deleted from the Commercial Register in 1972.


### CONDITION

In Great Condition - No Damage.

### SIZE

KETTLE
Height: 44cm
Width: 31 x 25cm
Weight: 3360g

TEAPOT
Height: 23cm
Width: 30 x 17cm
Weight: 1125g

SUGAR BOWL
Height: 12.5cm
Width: 19 x 13.5cm
Weight: 440g

CREAM JUG
Height: 10cm
Width: 18 x 11cm
Weight: 300g