A Rare Irish Republican Silver Tray, Mark of William Egan & Sons

Circa 1922-1923, with maker's mark and "Egan's Mark, without a monogram.

6 in. dia.

5.75 troy oz.

By Descent of the late Freda Fielding O’Leary, Ireland

During a brief period of the Irish War of Independence, in the summer of 1922, the city of Cork was held by anti-treaty forces, which cut off the company’s access to the Dublin assayer office. As a result, the company created its own mark of a masted ship with a towered castle on either side, known as Egan’s mark. These unique pieces also had the old-style maker’s mark of W.E. in Celtic script. When the republican occupation ended in September of the same year, the dies for these hallmarks were destroyed, and silver was sent to Dublin again to acquire standard English hallmarks.

Good estate condition, light surface scratches.