This is an exquisite and rare antique pair of English Old Sheffield silver plated domed entree dishes, each with lid, bearing the famous twin suns makers mark of the famous silversmith Matthew Boulton, and Circa 1785 in date. They are of the highest quality, in excellent condition and are ready to grace your dining table. A truly exquisite pair that would make a fine addition to any antique collection, they each bear an exquisite engraved coat of arms which which appear to be be for the third son of one of the many branches of the Proctor family Condition: In excellent condition with no dings or dents, please see photos for confirmation of condition. Dimensions in cm: Height 16 x Width 30 x Depth 22 Dimensions in inches: Height 6 inches x Width 1 foot x Depth 9 inches Matthew Boulton Boulton was not a "goldsmith" or a "silversmith" in the accepted sense, yet for his achievements and services to the craft of goldsmithing he is fully worthy of inclusion in the list of great English goldsmiths. Matthew Boulton was born in Birmingham on 3 September 1728. His father Matthew Boulton (senior) was a "toy maker" and silver stamper specialized in the production of shoe-buckles. Boulton junior was taken into partnership in 1749 and was left in sole charge of the business after the death of his father in 1759. Boulton had the ambition to establish a manufacturing complex where craftsmen in the various branches of the "toy" trade would work together under one roof, enabling him to reap both wholesale and retail profits. In 1761 he realized his project purchasing a one-hundred- year-lease of the "Soho" estate at Handswoth Heath (two miles from Snow Hilton the Wolverhampton Road). In 1762 Boulton took into unofficial partnership John Fothergill who would act as a travelling salesman to advertise his wares and the factory moved to Soho in the same year. The partnership concentrated in the production of steel "toys" a little later on buttons and buckles made in a variety of substances, including , of course, silver. In 1762 Soho factory began to produce articles in "Sheffield" plate and one of the first to adopt "Sterling silver thread" edging which prevent to reveal the underlying copper. Boulton soon became the largest manufacturer of "Sheffield plate" of the country expanding the business of Soho manufactory in the production of bijouterie, objects d'art and de virtue, in ormolu, pinchbeck, and in clocks. In 1765 Boulton began the manufacture of pieces in solid silver, being obliged to send every piece of plate to Chester to be marked (Chester was the nearest assay office, 72 miles away from Birmingham). Boulton was the promoter a petition obtaining in 1773 the Royal Assent to assay silver in Birmingham (the same was for Sheffield). Boulton & Fothergill entered their joint mark consisting of their initials, MB before IF. After the death of Fothergill (1782) Boulton punched his plate with his initials alone. When manufacturers of plated ware were permitted to register their marks at the Assay Office in Sheffield (1784), Boulton registered his mark of "twin suns" under the name Boulton M. & Co. The most important designers for Boulton plate in the neo-classic taste were Robert Adams and James Wyatt. Matthew Boulton died on 17 August 1809. The mark MB continued to be used by Matthew Boulton Plate Co until 1832. Our reference: 06852