Old Sheffield Plate Water Urn – 15" Hand-Finished Antique with Fluted Design

Absolutely stunning—this is an Old Sheffield Plate water urn dating to the 1700’s-early 1800’s. I was first drawn to its beautifully fluted shape and the understated elegance of its design, but upon closer inspection, I realized it’s something truly special: an early, highly sought-after example of Old Sheffield Plate. You can see the hallmarks that define this rare technique—the subtle seams on the sides where thin sheets of silver were carefully joined by hand, the rolled edges where silver was wrapped over the rim to finish it cleanly, and inside, evidence of meticulous hand-soldering by a skilled artisan.

Old Sheffield Plate is one of the earliest forms of silver plating, developed in England in the mid-1700s and used widely until the mid-1800s. Unlike later electroplating, Old Sheffield Plate was made by fusing a thin sheet of sterling silver to a thicker copper base using heat and pressure, then rolling the two metals out into sheets. This produced beautiful, durable silver items at a fraction of the cost of solid sterling, and it became especially popular in the Georgian and Regency periods. Because each piece was assembled by hand, you’ll often find little clues to its craftsmanship—rolled edges, soft seams, and soldered joints—that collectors now treasure. Measuring 15" tall, this urn is a remarkable survivor of that tradition and a beautiful example of 19th-century silversmithing.