Expert: Martin G Roberts - 2/28/2009

Question
I have a Queens College Scratch four handle. It has James Dixon & Sons (482) Rowell Oxford stamped on the rim at bottom. It is engraved with oars names the date 1866 and the Queens College Shield. The handle is scrolled with scrolling on the flip lid. It appears to be in good condition.
I was wondering what it might be worth.
Cheers Rose

Answer
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Hello Rose,

Whether this should technically be described as a tankard or a mug depends on whether it has a lid: lidded = tankard; unlidded = mug. However, trophies like this were, at the time, referred to as "pewters".

Glass-bottomed pieces like this, made either in Sheffield or London, and often retailed by other firms, were widely used as trophies for all sorts of sports events in the mid-19th Century in England. This was especially true of sports at university colleges and public schools. They were awarded for all sorts of events, but rowing trophies are the most frequently encountered types.

In this case the piece was made in Sheffield by the most prolific maker of the mid/late 19th Century. Dixons mostly manufactured Britannia metal items - Britannia metal is a pewter alloy in fabricating from sheet rather than casting - and if you look closely you will find a vertical seam on the body, probably behind the handle attachments. All the rowing trophies by Dixon that I have seen had domed lids, making them tankards. And all those by Dixon I have seen that are engraved as trophies for Oxford colleges were retailed by Rowell.

Such trophies are really quite common, so they do not command high values amongst pewter collectors. However, the engraved names mean they sometimes also find a market amongst those researching family histories. This means it is difficult to assign a precise value.

If in excellent condition, it might fetch anywhere from 25 to 70 pounds / 50-140 dollars, perhaps more if there are names engraved that are of particular interest.

Hope that helps.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk