Expert: Martin G Roberts - 5/18/2008

Question
Yesterday I obtained a small pewter teapot, simply because I liked it. It is a size to make maybe one cup of tea. A wooden black handle and a small wooden top to the lid. stamped on the bottom is Dixon and son and a figure 1. above that is another stamping a J. and the second word is worn away. it is beautiful. I believe it might be from Sheffield England, a place I left nearly 40 years ago. I would be grateful for any information you might give me. Thankyou.

Answer
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Indeed, a Sheffield product of about 1830. Dixons were prolific, but this is quite an early example of their output, before the second son joined to make the mark "Sons". It's made of Britannia metal, a pewter alloy used to fabricated pieces from sheet. These very small teapots are sometimes called 'bachelor' teapots - a fanciful name, but in common usage amongst collectors.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk