Expert: Martin G Roberts - 8/8/2007

Question
Hi Martin, i wondered if you could give me any information on a pewter tankerd i recently bought, it as gaskell & chambers birmingham on the base, on the outside it as stamped half pint and a small triangle with a crown and g r 6 inside, next to that is a small key looking? symbol with 24 underneath. on the inside is a gate type symbol with a triangle with an upsidedown y inside and under that the letter x. any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated. kind regards Andy.

Answer
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Made in Birmingham, England, around 1920. The marks inside the base are one of many variants used by G&C. The Y in a triangle is thought to indicate pieces cast in moulds that were acquired from James Yates of Birmingham, a late 19th Century pewterer.

Crowned GR = regnal cypher for George Rex, i.e. George V.

6 = a uniform verification number for Birmingham.

I don't recognise the description of a key like mark. 24 is probably a date (i.e. 1924) of re-verification for capacity by a local weights and measures inspector.

By the way, it's a mug, not a tankard, as it has no lid.

Very, very, very common, and very, very late.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk