Expert: Martin G Roberts - 3/15/2009

Question
My 101 year old South African mother in law recently died
and we are going through her things.   We have a Sheffield
Craftsman pewter serving bowl "collar" that HER mother in
law gave her in the 1930's.  It is oval, about 12 x 8
inches.  with 4 "feet" and what looks like 2 rows of raised
dots  around the perimeter.  it looks like a holder for an
oval bowl.   Can you approximate the age and tell us
anything else about it.  It looks like it has some hand
tooling on the handles.   The marking is under the handle
and says Craftsman Sheffield (the Sheffield is in an oval)
Pewter  Made in England.    Thank you very much!  

Answer
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Hello Anita,

Your piece was made by Viners, the famous cutlery firm, in Sheffield, England who used the CRAFTSMAN trademark in the late 1920s and 1930s, so it was probably new when given to your relation.

I cannot discern quite what the function of this object might be, but your interpretation as a dish ring is not unreasonable.

Hope that helps.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk