Expert: Martin G Roberts - 9/25/2008

Question
I have a stein with the words Christ Church Company, Mich. Term 1870 on it. It looks like it might have been made for certain soldeirs. The names Capt. R Plunkett, Privt. Poyser, Privt. Lewis, and Privt. Brandram-Smith are engraved on it. The bottom has James Dixon&Sons 182 Rowell, Oxford on it. Do you know anything about this. Thank You Veronica

Answer
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For many years in the middle of the 19th Century, Rowell retailed pewter items used as trophies and souvenirs at Oxford University. The most common variants are lidded tankards engraved as rowing trophies. Most of the items Rowell retailed were made by James Dixon & Sons in Sheffield, as was this example.

"Mich. Term" = Michaelmas Term, part of the Oxford academic year. Christ Church is a college of Oxford University.

Quite why a group of soldiers would have their names engraved on such a piece, I cannot think, but they seem to have been a 'company' from Christ Church, so that would be good starting point for your further research.

Stein is a German word for a drinking vessel. For British vessels, we usually apply the terms tankard (if lidded) or mug (if lidless).

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk