Pair of 'Winchester Busel' salts

Edward Barnard & Sons - 1904
 
Here are a fascinating pair of Arts and Crafts salts, modelled on the famous Winchester Bushel. 
 
Named after its home of Winchester, the original bushel is a standardised form of imperial measurement for dry goods and was commissioned by the first Tudor King, Henry VII. It was based on even earlier examples of bushel weights from the Saxon Kings but these no longer survive. 
This pair of salts, made in 1904 by the renowned silversmiths Edward Barnard & Sons, are based on the Tudor bushel and carry motifs and inscriptions modelled after the original. The inscription reads ‘Henry VII, by Grace of God, King of England and France’.

Making replicas of historical objects was popular in the Arts and Crafts period as it connected an increasingly modern world with the past. Only the top companies however attempted such tricky commissions and that is reflected in the superb quality of the pieces. Although ostensibly a pair of salts, the insides have never been gilded and they were most likely intended as objects for display rather than use. 
 
Condition: Excellent original condition