Lot 58: A Group of Four Late Victorian Sterling Silver Handled Button Hooks gross circa 68g

A collection of four antique button hooks with hallmarked sterling silver handles and polished steel hooks. The largest item features a flared silver handle with a foliate and C-scroll pattern. The polished steel shank is stamped with the characters ENGLISH MAKE STEEL. The silver handle bears impressed marks including JD WD for James Deakin & Sons (John & William Deakin), a crown, a walking lion, and a lowercase Gothic d for Sheffield, 1896.

The second item is a decorative hook with a high-relief embossed handle decorated with floral and scrollwork designs. The silver handle is stamped with the characters L & S for Levi & Salaman, an anchor, a walking lion, and a lowercase Gothic z for Birmingham, 1899.

The third item is a tapered hook with a smooth silver handle featuring a double-line border. The marks on the handle include MN & WB for Mappin & Webb (Mappin Bros), a walking lion, a leopard’s head, and a lowercase r for London, 1892.

The final item is a small miniature hook, possibly for gloves, featuring floral embossing to the handle and a suspension ring at the base. It is stamped with the characters L & S for Levi & Salaman and a Birmingham anchor mark, while the date letter is not clearly legible. Each handle is of filled or weighted construction as is standard for the period.