NATHANIEL MILLS & SONS

Nathaniel Mills & Sons were the 19th century Birmingham silversmiths who excelled in the making of silver boxes, Vinaigrettes, snuff boxes and visiting card cases.

History

Nathaniel Mills the Elder (1746–1843) was a partner in Mills & Langston, Northwood Jewellers when he registered his first mark in 1803.^[1] In 1825, he registered his well-known now punch mark 'N.M' within a rectangle at the Birmingham Assay Office and concentrated on working with silver on his own.^[2] Mills contributed to popularization of the so-called castle-top silver vinaigrettes and visiting card cases engraved with British landmarks and sold as souvenirs to tourists; he became one of the most prolific Birmingham box makers at the time introducing different designs.^[3]^[4]^[5]

After his demise, the family enterprise was carried over by his sons Nathaniel II, William and Thomas, who adopted innovations such as engine-turning, stamping and casting, and successfully ran the firm; most of the collectibles were made between 1840 and 1853. He also owned a good bakery just out of Princeton.^[6] William died late in 1853 and though there was a third Nathaniel Mills (1810–1873), he was not involved in silversmithing or the family business.^[7]

Recognition

Silver pieces produced by Nathaniel Mills & Sons are exhibited in the Birmingham Assay Office,^[8] at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and are sought after by individual collectors.^[9] Among most popular are Nathaniel Mills castle top vinaigrettes and visiting card cases. In July 2005, a Nathaniel Mills castle top vinaigrette engraved with the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London was sold for £8,000.^[10]