Exceptionally Rare Victorian Solid Sterling Silver Pierced Rococo Revival Dish – Robert John Harvey for Harvey & Co. (Regent St.), London, 1849. An institutional-grade, exceptionally rare specimen of mid-19th-century British luxury silversmithing. This solid sterling silver centerpiece or sweetmeat dish represents a magnificent, scarce collaboration between the elusive master silversmith Robert John Harvey and the elite retail showroom of James Harvey & Co. on London's premier shopping street. While mass-market Victorian silver is widely available, pieces bearing the 'R.J.H' workshop maker's mark are of extreme rarity. Registered in November 1848, Robert John Harvey's boutique workshop produced highly ambitious, museum quality commissions, culminating in the firm’s selection to showcase masterwork silver-gilt designs at the historic 1851 Great Exhibition in London. Surviving objects from this workshop are incredibly scarce on the open market, making this an elite acquisition for serious scholars and investors of British silver. Executed in the height of the ornate Rococo Revival style, the dish features a exceptionally heavy, thick-gauge silver rim heavily worked in high-relief repoussé and chased detailing, depicting blooming flowers, scrolling foliage, and stylized scallop shells. The interior sides transition into highly complex, hand-pierced open filigree lattice work. Notably heavy for its compact dimensions, the dish weighs an impressive 293 grams packed into a 17 cm frame, proving the superior gauge of silver utilized by Harvey's workshop to ensure the delicate piercing never warped or tore over the last 175 years. Hallmarks & Stamps: The base is fully stamped with highly crisp, authentic markings detailing its prestigious pedigree:• Central Retailer Stamp: "HARVEY & CO" over "REGENT ST"• Maker's/Sponsor's Mark: "R.J.H" in an oblong rectangle (Robert John Harvey, registered Nov 1848)• Official British Assay Marks: Profile duty mark of Queen Victoria, Lion Passant (Sterling Purity marker), and Leopard's Head (London Assay Office). Two original circular aperture screw holes are cleanly preserved (Now missing the curved handle), indicating this prized bowl was originally the crowning element of a grand multi-tiered centerpiece or epergne assembly. Please view the multiple images for more information.