Mary Eleanor Hibbert Cape Silver Collection': A One-of-a-Kind Cape Silver Collection

19 Jun 2025

Strauss & Co is pleased to present ‘Mary Eleanor Hibbert Cape Silver Collection’, one of the most important collections of Cape silver assembled over many decades. The Timed Online Auction, closing on Wednesday, 9 July, features rare pieces, including a double beaker, alms dish, sugar bowls, snuff boxes and 18ct gold clasps from the golden age of Cape silversmithing.

Gathered with patience and a discerning eye over many years by Mary, a collector who was enamoured with the beauty, artistry and significance of Cape Silver, ‘Mary Eleanor Hibbert Cape Silver Collection’ represents a crucial chapter in Cape silver collecting. The pieces in the collection offer a window into the story of silver craftsmanship, highlighting the finest and rarest items made by accomplished silversmiths working in Cape Town during the 18th and 19th centuries. The finest Cape Silver was produced in the second half of the 18th century, when immigrant silversmiths who had served apprenticeships under master craftsmen in Germany and the Netherlands brought their expertise to the Cape. ‘Mary Eleanor Hibbert Cape Silver Collection’  exemplifies this golden period, featuring pieces that demonstrate the cultural heritage and artistry of the Cape’s master silversmiths.

Very special in this collection is the Cape silver sugar basket from the 18th century by an unknown maker HNS (estimate R 250,000 – R300,000). The basket is oval and urn-shaped with a beaded and pierced rim and sides applied with a pair of beaded handles. This is alongside another remarkable piece by Johan Hendrik Vos, a Cape silver covered trophy  c.1760-1810 (estimate R200,000 – R250,000), engraved with crests and inscribed.

Cape silver holds particular fascination due to its unique characteristics. Unlike other silver traditions, Cape silver pieces were typically made from melted-down coins and old silver objects, creating variations in the silver standard that account for their distinctively rich and glowing lustre. Most Cape silversmiths struck only their initials on pieces, often with device marks such as stars, flowers and circles, making attribution a specialised pursuit. ‘Mary Eleanor Hibbert Cape Silver Collection’  features pieces by master silversmiths, including Willem Godfried Lotter, Lawrence Holme Twentyman, Johannes Casparus Lotter, Johan Hendrik Vos and Jan Lotter.

Among the highlights is a Cape silver teapot by Johan Hendrik Vos, c.1760-1810 (estimate R200,000 – R250,000), alongside a Cape silver coffee pot by Johannes Casparus Lotter, c.1760 (estimated at R160,000 – R180,000). The auction also features pieces by Daniel Heinrich Schmidt, including a Cape silver coffee pot from c.1768-1811 (estimate at R120,000 – R160,000). Schmidt was considered a master silversmith for producing some of the finest Cape silver of his era. Additional highlights include a Cape silver double beaker by Lawrence Holme Twentyman, c.1818-1837 (estimate R80,000 – R100,000) and a Cape silver two-handled sugar basin by Willem Godfried Lotter from c.1770-1810 (estimate  R100,000 – R120,000).

‘Mary Eleanor Hibbert Cape Silver Collection’ highlights some of the best of Cape silver craftsmanship that spans the tradition’s most celebrated period. “Mary Hibbert was an amazing collector of treasures over the course of her remarkable life. Each piece of Cape Silver that she has meticulously collected over the decades tells a story and reflects the beauty and grace of Mum. Seeing each piece gleam, polished and cherished, reminds us of her timeless elegance and the special touch she brought to everything,” states Warren Hibbert, Mary’s beloved son. 

---

PREVIEW

Thursday 12 to Monday 30 June 2025, 9am to 5pm
Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June 2025, by appointment only
Closed 16 June 2025
Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June 2025, 10am to 4pm
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June 2025, by appointment only

---

EVENTS

Saturday, 21 June 2025

Family Day: Island of Imagination at 10am

Fooking Around: No Man is an Island at 11am

Saturday Walkabout at 2pm

Sunday, 22 June 2025

Corporate Collecting at 11am

Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Pre-Auction Sundowners at 6pm