Courtesy ‘The Anchor’
This elegant bowl in the Art Deco style was bought for the Assay Office collection at Sotheby’s in November. Measuring 10.8cm in diameter, it was made by S. Blanckensee & Sons Ltd. and hallmarked in Birmingham in 1936.
The firm of Blanckensee was founded in Bristol in 1826. It moved to Great Charles Street, Birmingham and in September 1863 entered its first mark here, SB&S for the partnership of Solomon and Abraham Solomon Blanckensee, trading as Blanckensee & Son, jewellers.
Later the company also had premises in Great Hampton Street and Regent Place and in Hatton Garden. During the 20th century it absorbed several other firms, including Nathan & Hayes and the Albion Chain Co., before merging with E. Podolsky after the Second World War.
Blanckensee was one of the major Birmingham manufacturers, whose output included silverware and jewellery of all kinds.
