Charles Rawling & William Summers makers mark consists of the initials CR over WS in a square lozenge. Their marks have been found on snuff boxes, bottle labels and novelty items. Below are some examples of their silverware including a silver musical automaton and a novelty match holder in the form of a dog.
Charles Rawling & William Summers Silver Makers Mark
A very fine English silver musical snuffbox, with hidden erotic automaton by Charles Rawling & William Summers, London, 1829, No. 201, with 2-air cylinder movement, the 21-part sectional comb with teeth in groups of three, the extreme treble in group of four, on brass comb bar stamped P.IC, double blade governor (Geneva stopwork missing), on plain brass bedplate, in outstanding silver case with heavy relief lid bearing a scene of two gentlemen resting with smoking pipes, battle field drums and tent canvasses, two ladies in the foreground, a couple in a state of sexual embrace with trees in the background, the frame finished with rococo C scroll border, geometric stylised floral raised edge, repeated to the lid push, full piano hinge opening to reveal full silver-gilt interior with marks to both lid and snuff compartment base, the sides with repeated quatre-linier wave line ground, plain silver circular start/stop and change/repeat buttons, the underside panel with matching ground, sliding through the side and removing completely for view of the highly erotic veri-gilt and blued metal highlighted automaton of a standing man and half-seated lady, inflagrante-delicto, in a classical garden of trees, flowers and architecture including a dolphin-head fountain, animals and birds with a seated dog in the center foreground in a state of self-fellation, the movement to the man’s hips, knees and shoulder, the male key-wind spindle from the top-right corner, in original tooled brown leather travelling case with lock, with key for music box – 3.3/4in. wide, the cylinder 2.1/2in.
Sold for US$ 29,280 (£ 22,638) inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2010
A GEORGE IV SILVER SNUFF BOX MARK OF CHARLES RAWLINGS, LONDON, 1825 Oblong, cover chased in relief with a pair of gentlemen in top hats accompanied by five hounds retrieving dead game birds they have just shot in a country setting, foliate border and thumb-piece, engine-turned base and sides, gilt interior 3 1/8 in. long (8 cm.) 5.5 oz. (171 gm.)
Sold for GBP 2,000 at Christie’s in 2015
Two Victorian wine labels for ‘BRANDY’ and ‘WHISKEY’, of small oblong form with reeded border, canted corners and suspended on belcher link chain with detachable hook clasp. Hallmarked Charles Rawlings & William Summers, London 1859 and 1862. Width of label measuring 2.5 cm, gross weight 8.8 grams. The lot displays general scratches, marks wear and tarnishing commensurate with the age and use. One of the chains is broken and would require attention. The hallmarks are clear and legible.
Sold for £65 at Fellows in 2016
A VICTORIAN SILVER NOVELTY MATCH HOLDER, CHARLES RAWLINGS & WILLIAM SUMMERS, LONDON, 1848 formed as a dog presenting a top hat with gilt interior, all mounted on a wood base marked throughout length of base 6⅛ in. 15.5 cm
Sold for 4,750 USD at Sotheby’s in 2019
A VICTORIAN PARCEL-GILT-SILVER NOVELTY SOVEREIGN CASE, RAWLINGS & SUMMERS, LONDON, 1874 in the form of a cloth handbag with double belcher chain strap, opening by a push button to the gilt clasp to reveal three blue silk concertina compartments 12.5cm long with chain extended
Sold for £300 at Matthew Barton Ltd. in 2016
