Rare Pair Of Sampson Mordan Solid Silver Salt & Pepper Chicks Chester 1906

 
A rare pair of solid silver chicks made by Sampson Mordan in 1906, typical of the beautifully modelled products the company made in this period. Chicks are found as pin cushions, menu holders, but rarely seen now as salt and peppers.
The pepper has a number of holes in the top of the head but the salt is designed for table salt to pour out through the beak. They weigh 15g each and are about 4cm / 1 1/2 inches high.
This design (RD 461360) can be dated to 1896 when two versions were made. One type had the heads of the chicks removable to allow filling and the other, this type that are filled from below. The foot that can be unscrewed in the case of the pepper or pushed out for the salt.
Height = 4.5 cm (1.8")
Width = 4 cm (1.6")
Depth = 4 cm (1.6")