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Lot Essay
Benjamin Brancker was working in Liverpool from early in the eighteenth century until 1734 when he was succeeded in the business by his son John. He was created a freeman gratis of the Corporation of Chester following a petition to the mayor and Corporation which attempted to get greater trading rights with Chester for the merchants of Liverpool. That letter argued for his admission to the corporation thus:
You know how his buisness lyes in Jewilling Enamelling of Faces to the Life, but cheifly the Latter, is what he applys himself to, and for the Reason will meet with little or no Opposition, there being none in Chester of that Buisness, nor but one more in England that we Ever yet heard off.
For a further discussion of his life and work see Maurice H. Ridgway, Chester Goldsmiths from Early Times to 1726, page 123-124 and Ian Pickford, editor, Jackson's Silver and Gold Marks of England, Scotland and Ireland, third edition, page 413-415.
Other examples of his work include a brandy saucepan of circa 1720 from the collection of Mrs. Elizabeth and the late Dr. Edward F. Rosenberg, Christie's New York, 10 December 1986, lot 111, and a teapot of the same date, illustrated in Michael Clayton, Christie's Pictorial History of English and American Silver, page 124, number 2, originally described as Bernard Baldwin of Cork, Anonymous sale, Christie's London, 7 December 1955, lot 39, (£500) and Anonymous sale, Christie's London, 20 April 1966, lot 11, (£1,500).
Another coffee pot of very similar form and with a similar distinctive spout is in the collection of the Liverpool Museum.
You know how his buisness lyes in Jewilling Enamelling of Faces to the Life, but cheifly the Latter, is what he applys himself to, and for the Reason will meet with little or no Opposition, there being none in Chester of that Buisness, nor but one more in England that we Ever yet heard off.
For a further discussion of his life and work see Maurice H. Ridgway, Chester Goldsmiths from Early Times to 1726, page 123-124 and Ian Pickford, editor, Jackson's Silver and Gold Marks of England, Scotland and Ireland, third edition, page 413-415.
Other examples of his work include a brandy saucepan of circa 1720 from the collection of Mrs. Elizabeth and the late Dr. Edward F. Rosenberg, Christie's New York, 10 December 1986, lot 111, and a teapot of the same date, illustrated in Michael Clayton, Christie's Pictorial History of English and American Silver, page 124, number 2, originally described as Bernard Baldwin of Cork, Anonymous sale, Christie's London, 7 December 1955, lot 39, (£500) and Anonymous sale, Christie's London, 20 April 1966, lot 11, (£1,500).
Another coffee pot of very similar form and with a similar distinctive spout is in the collection of the Liverpool Museum.