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Author	Topic: Tea pot
ahwt Posts: 2377 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 04-26-2007 09:51 AM I brought the above pot as a small tea pot, but I have also seen it referred to as a hot milk pot. I think the marks indicate that it was from Birmingham in the year 1913-14. The year 1938-39 also used the letter O, but this mark looks more like a small letter that a capital letter. The sponsor's mark of WJH is not listed in Jackson and I wonder if anyone knows who that may be. I recently saw an almost identical design retailed by Tiffany (stated by the seller to be from the early 1900s) and I wonder if anyone know who actually came up with this design. Does the engraving of the three stylized lions have any significance or is it merely meant to be decorative? IP: Logged
swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 Registered: May 2003	posted 04-26-2007 05:15 PM I believe this is the Plantagenet coat of arms first used by Richard the Lion Heart. It is still represented (differenced) in one quarter of the the arms of Queen Elizabeth of Windsor. It is purely decorative as used here. It is not a teapot, as you have surmised. I do not have a late Birmingham reference, and so cannot identify the sponsor for you. IP: Logged
DB Posts: 252 Registered: May 2006	posted 04-26-2007 10:04 PM Looked in K. Crisp Jones:"The Silversmiths of Birmingham and their marks: 1750-1980", but there is no W.U.H. mark. The item is always refered to as a Jersey milk can. IP: Logged
DB Posts: 252 Registered: May 2006	posted 04-26-2007 10:06 PM And no WJH mark either. IP: Logged
vathek Posts: 966 Registered: Jun 99	posted 04-27-2007 06:37 AM I believe these were for hot water to be poured into a tea cup, but not for brewing tea. As for hot milk jugs, I owned a very nice one once that was cream pitcher sized but had insulated handles and a lid. IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2377 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 04-27-2007 08:21 AM Thanks to all for the information. A simple search for "jersey milk can" retrieved several like cans in either plate or ceramic, one of which had the same crest. No doubt this was a popular design in the early 1900s and made its way into various materials. IP: Logged
2209patrick Posts: 37 Registered: Mar 2006	posted 04-27-2007 06:08 PM One possibility is William James Holmes of Birmingham. IP: Logged
PhilO Posts: 166 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 04-30-2007 03:28 AM I have this maker's mark attributed to W J Hutchinson. Holmes registered a mark in Sheffield, but the font is with serifs rather than the sans serif style here. The jug is a Jersey cream (or milk) jug rather than the Guernsey variety as it has a spout; the traditional Guernsey design lacks the spout. Phil IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2377 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 04-30-2007 08:54 AM Thanks to all again. PhilO's comment about the Jersey and Guernsey variations is very interesting. A Web search shows that the original Guernsey milk can did not have a spout, however cans with spouts have been included in some later reviews of the history of this type milk can. The Jersey and Guernsey variations obviously were very popular with tourists and the Jersey type with a spout eventually found its way to St. Louis, Missouri where I found it. The appeal of this design is reflected by the reproduction of it by Tiffany in the early 1900s. IP: Logged
feniangirl Posts: 36 Registered: Mar 2002	posted 05-07-2007 02:43 PM I agree that the maker is William John Hutchinson. See : quote: William John Hutchinson 1900, 1929 1901..1911 Buckle, mustard, napkin ring, thimble, vesta Also attributed to W J Holmes This also supports the earlier date. IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2377 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-07-2007 11:30 PM Feniangirl, Thanks for the information and the reference to the web site. It is interesting to see the various items attributed to Mr. Hutchinson by this web site. IP: Logged
PhilO Posts: 166 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 05-08-2007 02:27 AM A word of warning - the Hutchinson attributions are both mine. The link in feniangirl's post is to my makers' marks web site; see swarter's earlier post in this forum: Makers' Marks on British Silver Phil IP: Logged
Silver Lyon Posts: 363 Registered: Oct 2004	posted 05-09-2007 12:23 PM Serifs are important. So are occupations. Couldn't this pot be 1938 ?? William J. Holmes are specialist wholesale suppliers and it would be logical for a firm such as theirs to be supplying a Jersey retailer. His (their really as it is a company) mark NEVER has serifs. Hutchinson & Co. (William J. Hutchinson) are primarily makers of small goldwork, such as charms, hat pins and lorgnettes; their registered marks ALL feature initials WITH serifs. Conclusion: William J. Holmes it is IP: Logged
PhilO Posts: 166 Registered: Jul 2004	posted 05-13-2007 02:55 AM I have updated my attributions for Hutchinson & Holmes in the light of Silver Lyon's comments. As this included changing the names of the image files, the links in feniangirl's post no longer work. Phil IP: Logged
agphile Posts: 798 Registered: Apr 2008	posted 12-03-2008 06:17 PM Came across this thread while browsing and thought it might be worth adding that the arms on the milk jug are in fact those of Jersey just to comp[lete the story. IP: Logged

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