Vintage Silverplate St. Magnus Hotel Toast Rack

Discovered at a silver market in northern England, this elegant Silverplate St. Magnus Hotel Toast Rack is a rare find. Sure to have many a secret to tell, among the most fascinating could be the tale of how it came to be 3,641 miles from home! Set in the heart of the Shetland Islands 100 miles off the northernmost tip of Scotland and known today as the St. Magnus Bay Hotel, this cozy historic guesthouse overlooks the wild and stunning Hillswick shoreline of the North Atlantic.

With its far northern location equidistant between mainland Scotland and Scandinavia, the charming hotel's structure was manufactured in Norway. Believed to be the only one of its kind in the British Isles, the wood-clad building was constructed in 1900 and transported to Hillswick as a speculative venture by the North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Co.

Standing sentinel over the St. Magnus Bay with its breathtaking sea views, crisp air and abundant wildlife, it's easy to see why investors were so bullish on Hillswick, turning the village into a desirable resort destination even before roads were built to reach it. With ferry access between the mainland, Orkney and Shetland, early 20th-century adventure seekers could marvel and explore the natural world made so glamorous by Charles Darwin during the Victorian era. Among those travelers making the long pilgrimage to the the rustic hotel, young writers who would become two of the most celebrated of their time, the prolific and oft-intertwined modernist duo W.H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood.

With a regally designed loop handle on top for ease of transport and its bespoke 'St. Magnus Hotel Hillswick' glimmering proudly at the base, the handsome caddy has all the elegant hallmarks of classic hotelware during this golden age of travel. Perched upon four stately bun feet, its gracefully elongated arches stand poised for service. An especially meaningful gift for the Auden devotée or Isherwood fan, this well-traveled treasure makes a versatile companion whether employed for breakfast, to corral mail, display treasured photographs or even hold fingertip towels in a powder room. Radiating incomparable beauty and peerless grace, this magnificent caddy is certain to bring its distinguished provenance to even the most sophisticated of settings.

One-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. Circa 1935. In very good vintage condition. 5.5" H x 3.5" W x  7.5" L.