A good early English silver flat lidded tankard. Britannia standard silver*. Lovely plain design and hand beaten silver. The tankard has a simple straight sided form and S scroll handle finishing in a decorative thumb piece. No engravings except the owner’s initials prick engraved to the handle.
Contains 900 ml.
Weight 624 grams, 20 troy ounces.
Height 16.4 cm (to top of thumb piece). Spread 18.5 cms. Diameter 10.5 cms (top).
London 1701.
Maker Humphrey Payne.
*Britannia Standard. In 1696, so extensive had become the melting and clipping of coinage that the silversmiths were forbidden to use the sterling standard for their wares, but had to use a new higher standard, 95.8 per cent. New hallmarks were ordered, “the figure of a woman commonly called Britannia” and the lion’s head erased (torn off at the neck) replacing the lion passant and the leopard’s head crowned. This continued until the old standard of 92.5 per cent was restored in 1720. Britannia standard silver still continues to be produced even today.
The tankard is in good but used condition. Stamped with a fully matching and clear set of silver marks to the body and lid, handle with maker’s mark. A nice feature is the tell-tale dents on top of the handle where the thumb piece has been touching for over 300 years.
The hinge has a little movement where the pin has worn over the years. Signs of earlier restoration to the lid where it meets the hinge. Marks inside where the handle is attached to the body. Slight curvature on the lid where there has been an erasure. The tankard has been tested for water retention and there is no leak.
Please note that this item is not new and will show moderate signs of wear commensurate with age. Reflections in the photograph may detract from the true representation of this item.
By appointment only.
