Teaspoon, Daniel George Collins, Sheffield, 1924
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1924
Teaspoon, Daniel George Collins, Sheffield, 1924 is an object recorded by Victoria and Albert Museum, dated 1924. The museum's brief description reads: Teaspoon, silver, engraved with the cipher GRV, from the Government Hospitality Fund tableware collection, Daniel George Collins, Sheffield, 1924.. Museum description: Coffee spoon, silver, engraved with the cipher GRV The museum record gives material recorded as silver; measurements height 1.7 cm; width 3.1 cm; length 4.3 cm; place associated: Sheffield. These details come from the holding museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The Government Hospitality Fund (GHF) was instituted in 1908 to provide official hospitality on behalf of Government when ministers acted as hosts for lunches, dinners and receptions. GHF was centrally funded and remained a semi-autonomous body attached to various departments until 1999 when it became a section within the Foreign and Commonwealth office. The GHF cutlery and tableware has seen service at important government functions throughout the 20th century. Collectively known as the State Dinner Service, this piece was part of 19,500 items of silver, porcelain, glass and linen still in use today, for official ministerial hosted lunches or dinners. It is looked after by the Government Butlers at Lancaster House, and only used when there is a Butler to supervise and run the event, at Lancaster House, Downing Street, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Admiralty House and No 1 Carlton Gardens. It has also been used at Chequers, to host President Yeltsin in 1994, President Chirac in 1995, and at Cardiff Castle in 1998 when HM the Queen hosted a dinner for the European Council.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- silver
- Dimensions
- height 1.7 cm; width 3.1 cm; length 4.3 cm
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- Sheffield
Design
- Inscriptions recorded
- Hallmarks on the handle of DGC, a crown, a lion passant, and a lower case 'i'.; 'GRV'
Identification
- Museum object name
- Teaspoon
- Museum object number
- M.28-2012
- Museum system number
- O1256366
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm materials, dimensions, maker and wider type against the holding institution and a specialist reference.