Topic: Old tankard with hinged glass lid?

[Max]

This is a strange one!   :shock:

Little tankard measuring 4" high, with a hinged lid with a clear glass insert.  It looks as if the metalwork is made of lead (or pewter??).  There are small circular smooth polished windows into the sides of tankard.

The base shows a lot of wear, and is smooth, flat and polished until shiny.  The piece of metal encircling the handle is loose, and wobbles up and down the glass, looks a bit badly made, and perhaps the whole lid thing was an afterthought?

I'm not sure what purpose the lid would have had - does anyone have any ideas or seen anything similar on their travels?

This is another one from the Oxfam shop, by the way.  

http://tinypic.com/96kpic.jpg

http://tinypic.com/96kpkl.jpg

http://tinypic.com/96kr3s.jpg

[KevinH]

Hi Max,

It's probably 19th century, and the lid is most likely pewter. Lidded tankards were common back in those days.

I think it's possible that some damage has occurred to the lid and part of the handle.

First of all, the bit on the handle that is sticking up, like a thumb-grip, may be just that. Or it may really have started out being flat against the handle, doing a job of support. The fact that the handle is "wobbly" suggests that some internal substance, between the pewter and the glass has, over the years, simply degraded and fallen out.

Or as you suggest, it could be a (poorly repaired) lid applied to a basic tankard that started out without a lid!

I think the lid is definitely missing a finial to the rear, above the point of connection to the handle. The finial would have allowed easy lifting of the lid, with retention of same during drinking by hooking the thumb over the finial when the lid was in the raised position.

Clear glass tops to pewter lids are often seen.

Here's a pic of one I have, which I reckon is 19th century German as the lid has a nice embossed image of perhaps the first steam train at Nurnburg (not seen in the photo):

http://tinypic.com/9708za.jpg

[Max]

Thanks for that Kev.  I did have a good old look around Google, and was thinking perhaps this tankard was German, which would concur with the photo of your tankard.

I've had a good look at the metalwork and don't think there's any finial missing from it.  It seems to work quite well with just the dip to put your thumb in to pull & lift the lid up...although you have to be a bit careful due to the wobbliness.

I have to put a price and description on this.  I'm thinking something like 'Tankard, probably C19 German with pewter and glass lid - £9.99'

I really can't see it going for any more than that, it's so wonky, can you?

[KevinH]

Yours could be English just as easily as being German.

Price? Hmm. You might be right. Let's see what any hopeful buyers think.