G Bryan & Co | Sterling Silver Mustard Pot with Cobalt Glass Liner | Birmingham, 1933–34

G Bryan & Co | Sterling Silver Mustard Pot with Cobalt Glass Liner | Birmingham, 1933–34

Mustard came to the table in its own small silver pot, with a lid to keep it fresh and a slot for the spoon.

Made in Birmingham during the reign of George V, this mustard pot bears the mark of G Bryan & Co, a silversmithing firm working within the city's long manufacturing tradition. Its hallmarks place its assay in 1933–34, while a further oval punch appears to mark the approaching royal Silver Jubilee.

The barrel-shaped body rises from a stepped circular foot to a reeded rim. The hinged, gently domed lid has a turned finial and a notch for the spoon, and opens on a knuckle hinge with a scroll thumbpiece above a shaped scroll handle. A removable cobalt-blue glass liner protects the silver from the mustard and shows as a band of colour when the lid is lifted.

The base is hallmarked with the maker's mark G.B&Co, the anchor for Birmingham, the lion passant for sterling silver and the date letter J for 1933–34. A fifth oval punch appears consistent with the optional commemorative hallmark depicting King George V and Queen Mary, introduced in 1934 ahead of their 1935 Silver Jubilee.

The mustard pot is in very good condition, with light surface scratches consistent with age and use. There are no dents, splits or repairs. The hinge is sound and the cobalt-blue glass liner is intact.

Key Details

• Maker: G Bryan & Co, Birmingham
• Hallmarks (base): G.B&Co; anchor (Birmingham); lion passant (sterling); date letter J (1933–34); oval punch apparently the George V and Queen Mary Silver Jubilee mark
• Material: sterling silver, with a cobalt glass liner
• Form: hinged mustard pot with spoon notch
• Silver weight: 75 g
• Overall weight: 128 g
• Height: 7 cm
• Length: 7.5 cm
• Width: 5.5 cm
• Condition: very good; light surface scratches; no dents, splits or repairs; hinge sound; liner intact
• Buyer profile: collectors of English silver, and anyone setting a traditional table

Collector Appeal

English silver mustard pots combine practical design with traditional craftsmanship. This example retains its cobalt-blue glass liner, hinged lid and clearly struck principal hallmarks. The additional oval punch, apparently commemorating the Silver Jubilee of George V and Queen Mary, adds a further point of historical interest.

Made for the everyday table, and marked, it seems, in a year of royal celebration.