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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: Baked_Beans on June 08, 2014, 07:39:44 AM

Title: Merchant ship's (perhaps) jug with gilt Plimsoll line design any ideas on date ?
Post by: Baked_Beans on June 08, 2014, 07:39:44 AM

I bought this jug recently and was told that it was made for use on a merchant ship and the Plimsoll line design, in gold (looks black in photo), was there as an aide-memoire for sailors to remind them of it's importance .

The Plimsoll line was invented in the 1870's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Plimsoll

Samuel Plimsoll was born in Bristol and he is a bit of a local hero here  ;)

The jug stands 7 3/4 inches tall and is mould blown with an applied handle . The glass is lead crystal and has thick walls and base with a large, polished pontil mark.

Could this jug possibly date from the 1870's and could it have been made for a merchant ship or was the seller's story something of a sailor's yarn ?  :)

I would be very interested to know if anyone has seen one of these before , thanks for having a look  :D

Title: Re: Merchant ship's (perhaps) jug with gilt Plimsoll line design any ideas on date ?
Post by: Baked_Beans on June 08, 2014, 01:15:52 PM

I've looked up a few dates and The Merchant Shipping Act of 1876 made load lines compulsory. However the position of the line was not fixed by law until 1894. In 1906 foreign ships entering U.K. ports were required have the line.

Here is a newspaper article about Sir Samuel Plimsoll's life....and what a life he had (worth reading)

http://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2013/02/10/sir-samuel-plimsoll-inventor-of-the-plimsoll-line/

Ta , Mike. 

Title: Re: Merchant ship's (perhaps) jug with gilt Plimsoll line design any ideas on date ?
Post by: Ivo on June 08, 2014, 04:08:43 PM

I have a set of glasses with plimsol motif and they were made by Atlantis, portugal and not too long ago - so the motif does not guarantee age.

Title: Re: Merchant ship's (perhaps) jug with gilt Plimsoll line design any ideas on date ?
Post by: Baked_Beans on June 08, 2014, 05:02:34 PM

Thanks Ivo,

Does the motif on your glasses  look like this one  , in gold ?

Title: Re: Merchant ship's (perhaps) jug with gilt Plimsoll line design any ideas on date ?
Post by: Baked_Beans on June 08, 2014, 10:28:58 PM

I've found this thread and think I've been spun a yarn  :)


http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php?topic=42585.0

Ta, Mike.