Victorian Aesthetic Movement Silver Plate Card Receiver James Tufts circa 1870

Elaborate over-the-top Victorian card receiver by one of the best manufacturers, James Tufts. The pattern on the surface is so incredibly detailed. It looks like a kaleidoscope picture.

Heavy base metal footed card receiver that was silver-plated. Most of the silver is gone but it still has a shine on the pattern. The lack of silver makes the pattern stand out. The mouth of the plate surface has scalloped. Shell-like flourishes encircle the rim, inside of the scallops. In the middle of the plate is a central square with an elaborate geometric pattern. Rose and flower swags border the central square. The chaste work is very fine and detailed. The plate surface rests on four raised feet that have elaborate metalwork mimicking the shell and rose patterns. There is a circle of beading above the feet.

The mark of James Tufts stamped on the base reads: JAMES W. TUFTS QUADRUPLE PLATE BOSTON WARRANTED These marks encircle a star-like mark with a T in the middle. There is the number 3137 stamped near the Tufts mark. There looks to be another two-digit number by the base edge.

MEASUREMENTS
6 7/16” (16.4 cm) diameter x 1 11/16” (4.3 cm) tall Weighs 9.3 oz (265 g)

CONDITION
The piece has no chips, breaks, or cracks. There is the slightest dent in the bottom of the plate that can only really be detected by running your finger along the bottom. There is still some silver and shine to the piece but re-plating would restore its former elegance.

An elegant, exotic, well-made piece of silver-plating art. Much time was spent on its manufacture, and it definitely shows. James Tufts is one of the best Victorian silver plate manufacturers at this time of the Aesthetic Movement.