Edwardian Glass and Silver Gum / Paste Pot 1907

A faceted glass paste / gum pot with silver top with original brush The round silver top is marked Xmas 1907 and has an elongated handle. The silver is hallmarked very clearly Birmingham 1907 made by L & S (Levi & Salaman). The brush still retains its original bristles and it is in near mint condition. Overall height is 10 cm (4 inches). A gum pot was used to seal envelopes and glue stamps before they had gummed edges and backs. Stamps started having gum on their back only from the very end of the 19th century. The Levi & Salaman company was founded in 1870 by Phineas Harris Levi with Joseph Wolff Salaman in Northampton street in Birmingham. From 1878 they were the proprietors of Potosi Silver Co, which in 1885 opened a very large factory in Newhall street, known as the Potosi Works. After Levi died in 1910 the firm became Levi & Salaman Ltd. In 1921 the firm was merged into Barker Brothers (Silversmiths) Ltd.