Collectibles-General (Antiques)/Old Tankard

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Expert: Martin G Roberts - 2/18/2009


Question

Tankard
Hi Martin- I picked this piece up at an estate sale a few years back and I have never been able to dig up any information on it. I payed $35 USD for it. It is aprrox. 7 1/2" tall and has a pewter lid. There is a makers? mark on the bottom that is simply "AF" looks like a hallmark you would find on pewter or silver. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer
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Hello Scott,

Interesting thing. It's a jug rather than a tankard, with a pottery body made in Staffordshire, and a Britannia metal lid made in Sheffield, England.

Britannia metal is a pewter alloy used in fabricating from sheet rather than casting. Some Sheffield makers had an active trade making these lids, and in some cases they seem to have fitted them, and retailed the finished product.

It will date to the mid 19th Century. If the maker's mark is on the pottery, then probably it is the potter's mark, rather than the pewterer.

I have seen several examples of this type of object, but all with different body designs. In cases where I have been able to inspect the piece closely, it seemed to me the body was moulded rather than hand-formed, though I am not a specialist in ceramics.

Hope that helps.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk  

Martin G Roberts

Expertise

Pewter of the 19th Century and earlier from the British Isles and Ireland. I can comment on origin, date, rarity, and value. I cannot give detailed information on 'art' metalware, Art Deco, Art Nouveau or Arts & Crafts metalware. See my website for more information: www.antique-metalware.co.uk.

Experience

A collector for twelve years and a dealer for seven.

Publications
Journal of the Pewter Society
Pewter Society Newsletter
Bulletin of the Pewter Collectors' Club of America

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