Good day, friends. I added a nice silver beaker to my small collection. It is 10.2 cm tall, with a 5.8 cm wide mouth narrowing down to 4.5 cm at the base. Weight 97 g. Made by Charles Boyton II in 1899.
Please see the first two pics. I would very much like to know in olden day England what a beaker like this is MEANT to be used for? I know it is reasonable to say you could just about drink anything you want to from such a receptacle, but it COULD have been meant for a specific purpose. Take today’s wineglasses! Any thoughts on this question, please?
And then I have a second question, please. See the next two pics if you will: they show scribblings on the flat base of the beaker, very indistinct. Incised in the silver with a very fine instrument.
What I see is “1564 Gn/y” and “G/o/v 3.30/ @ 1086”. (I suppose the “@” might just be an old-fashioned “d”?) Would it be possible to draw any conclusion from these “notes” made by (I assume) the journeyman?
Any thoughts on this matter will be very helpful indeed.
Regards
Jan
The scratched marks were most likely made after purchase, possibly as an inventory mark. They could also be associated with a sale, either by a dealer or a pawnbroker. We also occasionally see scratch marks which must have been done in the workshop, detailing the weight of an item.
I have no suggestion for your beaker’s original purpose.
Phil
Thank you, Phil. Much obliged.
Regards, Jan.