Set of Six Hallmarked Silver Glass or Coffee Can Holders - 1904 Birmingham

This delightful set of glass or coffee can holders were originally produced and retailed by the august Army & Navy Co-operative Society [A&N] who were a very significant player in the development of the modern Department Store that we are all familiar with. Its first store opened in early 1872 on Victoria Street in Westminster, London, and by the early 20th century the company had stores worldwide in places such as Leipzig, Germany and Bombay, India. At their outset, their stores were members only: membership being reliant on serving within the British military, or being part of a military family. This impacted not only on the goods that the company supplied, but also how they sold them. Members could visit the impressive premises on Victoria Street in person to choose from the goods on display, or they could consult the company’s regular circulars (or catalogues), and have the goods delivered to their home, their barracks, or wherever they were on duty. In the late-nineteenth century, the company’s stores and circulars were filled with military uniforms, weaponry and amusements – chess boards and pipes. As the company grew in the early twentieth century, Army and Navy began to cater for the military family and ex-patriot markets. The British Empire was spreading across the globe, and Army & Navy was present for the families that went with the Empire, through stores in the Far East and through their circulars. Women’s and children’s clothing, toys, household furniture and goods, sports equipment, and general groceries became a feature of their product ranges. Their circulars were filled with all manner of products, Army & Navy branded and recognisable British brands. That is in essence is why many great names became synonymous with manufacturing Army and Navy products; for example the big Staffordshire firms were often to be found producing bone china [inc. coffee cans] for the A&N, who may have elected to have the silverwork undertaken by one of several Birmingham, London and even Chester silversmiths. As in this case, the A&N often insisted their own ‘hallmark’ was used during Assay in preference to the workshop employed. Because of the quality of their suppliers and esteem in which the A&N were held by the military, aristocracy and even Royalty, many of their pieces are highly sought and cherished. Consequently, even though these holders are bereft of their original glass or coffee cans we are delighted to offer them as a full set, in order that anyone with a lesser pedigree half dozen should wish to ‘upgrade’ their glasses or cans to a still highly sought-after brand...and realise a potentially handsome profit?