The blog has been skewing a little modern in the past few weeks, so here’s something a bit older for your enjoyment. This is an 18th century pewter measure, owned by the Jones family of Chevy Chase.
The family described the piece as a “tankard,” and indeed there are pewter tankards and flagons with lids and thumb-pieces like this one, and some are in the baluster form seen here. However, this particular vessel is eleven inches tall (base to lid), has a base diameter of six inches, and is extremely heavy – not exactly an easily hefted tankard o’ ale, there. This form was commonly used for wine measures, and although our piece does not have its capacity
marked, I’ve found other examples of gallon wine measures that are this size and shape. The thumb piece is double volute shape, with a fleur-de-lis on the hinge plate, fairly typical for mid 18th century pieces. The piece is in good, if used, condition, except for the tail of the handle, which has been bent (it should have a nice curly flip to it), and the lid doesn’t fit snugly anymore.
According to the Pewter Collectors’ Club of America, lidded baluster measures were imported from England to the American colonies in the 1740s and 1750s; some were made here, as well. Other than the incised circles on the lid, the only deliberate mark is a small WP (or WF) stamped onto the side of the rim; so far we (I enlisted a colleague in the search this morning) have not identified either a British or American maker to match the mark, so its exact origins are still unknown.
As for its history, this piece came from Clean Drinking Manor, the home of the Jones family. The house was built for Charles Jones around 1750 (it is no longer standing, but was off of Jones Mill Road in Chevy Chase). The donor, Robert Jones Jr., told us in 1976: “The tankard was in the household [by 1775], and when John Courts Jones served with rank of Major, Fourth Maryland regiment, Maryland Continental Line, he used the tankard while on duty and returned it to Clean Drinking Manor upon his discharge.” John Courts Jones, Sr. (1754-1802) served in the Maryland Line, including two years as aide to General William Smallwood, from 1775 until 1783. The Jones family’s story of the ‘tankard’ going off to war and being “used… on duty” always makes me imagine some poor horse charging into battle with this gigantic vessel strapped to the saddle, whomping him on the rear with every step. That’s not what happened, though. If indeed this piece went off to war, it no doubt stayed in the officers’ tent where it belonged; officers supplied their own luxury items (including servants). Anything else Jones brought with him is unknown; did he include a matching set of graduated measures, or was a gallon all he needed? Whatever his reasons for choosing this piece, both the story and the actual piece were “treasured” by the family (to use the donor’s own word), along with other, more traditional mementos of military service.
November 24, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Still enjoying your posts. So interesting. I especially enjoyed the wine measure (?) because of Clean Drinking Manor. What a shame that building is gone. I used to live near there and collected a lot of info on the Forest Glen area and the surrounding areas. So glad the Society has the measure. Old and interesting.
November 24, 2010 at 1:53 pm
That’s a great piece and post. Thanks. I like that what was thought of as an enormous tankard was from Clean Drinking Manor. (It wasn’t No Drinking Manor).
Your analysis and the uncertainty of its volume reminded me of how paleontologists sometimes would measure brain case capacity (thus brain size) in skull fossils: they would pour in Rice Krispies, then measure that volume. You might, of course, safely pour in water to measure it, but you probably don’t do that with things that are over 200.
I am presuming also that you are subtly showing this item as a great example from a Museum’s point of view, of how to donate: offer lots of details and back stories!
November 24, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Is there a plaque on the site of Clean Drinking Manor, or anything to mark the site?
I live not far from there.
December 1, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I’m not sure if there’s any kind of marker there right now; the site of the house is occupied by a retirement home, I believe. At some point there was a plaque on the site of the nearby spring, placed there by the Colonial Dames and NPS, but I don’t know if it’s still there.
July 6, 2011 at 1:26 pm
[…] home Clean Drinking Manor, have been featured on this blog before, in the person (?) of a large pewter wine measure owned by our boy’s father, John Courts Jones, Sr. The house was built around 1750 for Charles […]
September 17, 2012 at 10:45 pm
The mark is that of William Fasson of London, England, who worked 1758-1800. The Fasson family exported lots of pewter to late colonial and early Federal America and including these so called “double-volute” baluster measures in seven graduated sizes from the gallon to the 1/2 gill.
September 19, 2012 at 10:59 am
Aha, thank you! I’ll add that info to our files.
April 2, 2017 at 11:05 am
I realize we are gazing at a picture of the tankard in your article causing us to have only one certain perspective, however, could the maker’s mark be an R or a B beside the W?