Footnotes

To be sold by order of the PCC (Parochial Church Council) of St Michaels Church West Hill.

Provenance:
Given to St Michael's Church, West Hill, on its consecration in 1846 by Lady Mary Coleridge (1788-1874); see Greenaway; In Quiet Keeping: The Story of St Michael The Archangel, West Hill; page 19.

The passage reads: 'Lady Coleridge, wife of Sir John, gave the small tankard flagon marked IB, with rose in base, London 1592. The handle is scroll shaped with angel's head as thumb-piece. Round the base of the lid and on top of the barrel is arabesque ornamentation; round the foot is a cable moulding; below this, egg and dart ornamentation with egg and tongue work at the base.'

Research:
A near identical silver-gilt tankard, with the same maker's mark and the same date was offered at Sotheby's on 25th October 1973, lot 173. As 'The property of Trinity Church, Upper Dicker' in East Sussex. In the catalogue description it is also noted that 'the underside engraved with the monogram W.B.'

When our lot is compared with the Sotheby's example maybe they were once a pair. The height, weight and importantly the same monogram / initials to the underneath of the base would largely support this.
Pairs of tankards from this period, are extremely rare.

In the same catalogue footnote it records 'A similar flagon, belonging to the Church of Mickleham (Meckleham), Surrey, maker's mark S. over W, 1614, was included in the exhibition, Silver Treasures from English Churches, Christies, 1955 (cat. no. 87, pl. XVII)'

'A pair of tankards, by the same maker, 1602, from the collection of Duke of Leeds, were sold Sotheby's on the 15th June 1961, lot 120, illustrated in the catalogue'
This pair of tankards are on loan to The Victoria and Albert Museum from The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection. Here the maker's mark is recorded as possibly John Bottomley.

'Another tankard, by the same maker, also 1602, was sold Sotheby's on the 11th November 1971, and illustrated in the catalogue'