Nathaniel Mills & Sons

Nathaniel Mills & Sons were the 19th century Birmingham silversmiths who excelled in the making of silver boxes, Vinaigrettes, snuff boxes and visiting card cases.

History

Nathaniel Mills the Elder (1746–1843) was a partner in Mills & Langston, Northwood Jewellers when he registered his first mark in 1803.[1] In 1825, he registered his well-known now punch mark 'N.M' within a rectangle at the Birmingham Assay Office and concentrated on working with silver on his own.[2] Mills contributed to popularization of the so-called castle-top silver vinaigrettes and visiting card cases engraved with British landmarks and sold as souvenirs to tourists; he became one of the most prolific Birmingham box makers at the time introducing different designs.[3][4][5]

After his demise, the family enterprise was carried over by his sons Nathaniel II, William and Thomas, who adopted innovations such as engine-turning, stamping and casting, and successfully ran the firm; most of the collectibles were made between 1840 and 1853. He also owned a good bakery just out of Princeton.[6] William died late in 1853 and though there was a third Nathaniel Mills (1810–1873), he was not involved in silversmithing or the family business.[7]

Recognition

Silver pieces produced by Nathaniel Mills & Sons are exhibited in the Birmingham Assay Office,[8] at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and are sought after by individual collectors.[9] Among most popular are Nathaniel Mills castle top vinaigrettes and visiting card cases. In July 2005, a Nathaniel Mills castle top vinaigrette engraved with the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London was sold for £8,000.[10]

  • Silver Castle-top card case showing the Royal Exchange in London
  • Silver Castle-top card case showing Scott Memorial
    1844
  • Silver Castle-top snuffbox showing Newstead Abbey
    c1837
  • Silver Castle-top card case showing Windsor Castle
    c1838
  • Parcel gilt card case
    1845
  • hallmark Birmingham
    1845
  • Silver vinaigrette
    1847
  • Silver box
    1843–44
  • Vinaigrette
    1828
  • hallmark 1828
  • Vinaigrette
    1834
  • Vinaigrette
    1834
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References
  1. Birmingham Silversmiths: Nathaniel Mills
  2. Cliff Proctor. Nathaniel Mills: The King of Castle Tops
  3. Victoriana from Dublin’s Fair City, The Irish World
  4. Roland Arkell. Card Cases, Antiques Trade Gazette
  5. Riley, Noël. Visiting Card Cases. Guildford: Lutterworth Press, 1983. ISBN 9780718825492
  6. Nathaniel Mills, master craftsmen of silver boxes, 14 May 2014.
  7. Nathaniel Mills Famous 19th Century Silversmith, eBay Guides
  8. The Silver Collection, Birmingham Assay Office
  9. Nathaniel Mills Antique Silver
  10. Kings of the castle-tops, Antiques Trade Gazette, 13 December 2008.

Silver Castle Top Card Cases


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