The 19th-century was a time of great expansion in the silver trade, when huge demand caused rapid commercialization of the 18th-century craft. The astonishing diversity of design, from the works of Paul Storr and Matthew Boulton early in the period, to the designs of William Morris, C. R. Ashbee, Liberty's, and Christopher Dresser. This comprehensive study of English silver covers all types of wares, the important foreign influence, tensions between commerce and art in design and manufacture, Sheffield plate, the development of manufacturing techniques and dozens of illustrations of remarkable pieces, including presentation pieces, large centerpieces and animals and mechanical pieces, as well as the more usual table wares. -- AATA