Preliminary identification
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Overview
This is a beautifully proportioned Victorian-era silver-plated christening cup featuring a classic flared rim, beaded borders, and an elegant scroll handle. The front is adorned with a highly detailed, hand-engraved Gothic-style monogram reading 'St. George', surrounded by delicate foliate flourishes. The underside bears the clear maker's stamp 'MF'D & PLATED BY REED & BARTON' alongside the pattern number '2050'.
Story
In Victorian society, presenting a silver cup at a christening was a sacred ritual meant to wish a newborn lifelong prosperity. This particular cup, engraved with 'St. George', likely celebrated a child named George or commemorated a birth near St. George's Day. It stands as a tangible token of familial love and high social aspiration from the Gilded Age.
Maker / Origin
Founded in 1824 in Taunton, Massachusetts, Reed & Barton grew to become one of America's most prestigious and enduring silversmiths. Renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship in both sterling silver and high-quality silver plate, they were chosen to design the gold, silver, and bronze medals for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Condition & Value
The cup shows a heavy, colorful patina (tarnish) with golden and blue-green iridescence, which many collectors prefer left untouched. There are minor surface scratches and light wear consistent with age, but no major dents or visible plate loss.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.