Regent Antiques Offer A Range Of Pieces By Celebrated 18th Century London Silversmith Hester Bateman

Hester Bateman was born in London in 1709 and lived and worked there until her death in 1794. Part of a family of silversmiths, Hester Bateman was to become by far the most well-known and respected member of the Bateman family of silversmiths.

Hester Bateman Sterling Silver Sauce Boat dating from 1777

She was a skilful female silversmith who managed to achieve great success despite the general attitude of non-acceptance of women in most trades of the period.

Hester was married to John Bateman, himself an accomplished silversmith specialising in watch chains, who died in 1760. It is believed that Hester learned the silversmith trade from her husband whilst, at the same time, bringing up their children and running the household – no mean feat at a time when domestic appliances and other aids to motherhood and housekeeping were virtually non-existent.

After John’s death, Hester effectively took over the business which, until the mid-1770’s, concentrated mainly on producing work that had been commissioned by other silversmiths and which, therefore, did not bear her mark, which she first registered in 1761. In many cases Hester would stamp such pieces with her mark but the commissioning silversmith would often over stamp it with their own mark, thus making it difficult to identify as being Hester’s work.

A change of direction was to follow, however, and Hester Bateman silverware started to become very popular in its own right, especially the pieces in which she specialised which included items of silver tableware such as Teapots, Sauce Boats, Mugs, Milk Jugs, Sugar Bowls, Salt Cellars and Spoons.

Hester Bateman and her husband had six children; John, Letticia, Ann, Peter, William, and Jonathan, several of whom were to follow her into the family business. As the business flourished under Hester’s stewardship, they employed numerous other silversmiths at their premises in Bunhill Row, North London, where the family also lived.

Hester Bateman eventually retired in 1791, just 3 years before her death in 1794, but several family members, including her sons John, Peter, William and Jonathan who were all respected and talented silversmiths in their own right, carried on the business after her death.

It is estimated that the Bateman Silversmith family business produced over 11,000 items of fine silverware, many of which still survive today.

Hester Bateman, and other pieces by the Bateman Silversmith family, are very desirable and Regent Antiques are pleased to be able to offer for sale a number of fine examples of her work and that of the Bateman family of silversmiths, including, at the time of writing, a superb, delicate and outstandingly beautiful Hester Bateman Silver Basket dating from 1780.

If you are a lover of fine silverware, and in particular Hester Bateman silverware, then it is well worth taking a look at the Silver & Silver Plate section of Regent Antique’s website. Better still, if you are in town, why not visit our extensive London antiques showroom where you will find silverware by Hester Bateman and a lot more that will make your visit well worth your while.