Martin Hall & Co. 1888 Sterling Silver Victorian Large Gallery Tray

Martin, Hall & Co. sterling silver gallery tray from 1888 (Victorian era), made in Sheffield, England, beautifully adorned with engraved floral and geometric motifs, with two finely applied bamboo style handles, and standing on 4 raised balled feet. It measures 27 2/3'' from handle to handle by 17 1/2'' in width by 3 1/2'' in height, weighs an impressive 165 troy ounces, and bears hallmarks as shown. 

Martin, Hall & Co. dates its origin to the partnership established in 1820 in Sheffield by Henry Wilkinson and John Roberts who traded as Wilkinson & Roberts. Wilkinson left the business in 1836 and in 1846 John Roberts entered in partnership with Ebenezer Hall (his apprentice in 1836) under the style Roberts & Hall. In 1854 entered into the partnership Richard Martin and Joshua Hall under the style Martin, Hall & Co. In 1866 the firm was converted into a Ltd. The factory was active in Sheffield with showrooms in London, Sydney, Birmingham, and Glasgow. The firm participated to the 1851 Great Exhibition, the International Exhibition of 1862, the Sydney Exhibition of 1879, the Melbourne Exhibition of 1881 and the 1915 British Industries Fair, showcasing the longevity and prestige of the firm. The firm ceased its operations in the 1930s. Some of its pieces are in prestigious museum collections, such as those of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.