What-is-it question CXL

[2209patrick]

This sleigh was made by Tiffany in the 1870's.
It was part of the famous Mackay service.
It is 8.875 inches ( 22.5 cm.) high and 13.125 inches ( 33.4 cm.) long.

What was it used for ?



Pat.
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[dragonflywink]

Wine cradle?

~Cheryl
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[dognose]

Or maybe cognac?

Trev.
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[2209patrick]

Hi Cheryl and Trev.

Charles and Mary Carpenter's book on Tiffany Silver calls it a bottle wagon or sleigh.
So I'd say you both are correct.

Pat.
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[mmackay]

Pat is indeed correct. There were two of these "bottle wagons" made for my great, great grandparents in 1879. Tiffany's invoice for the Mackay service lists them as "wine waggons," although Ellin Mackay Berlin describes them as "intended for the serving of claret" in her biography of Marie Louise Mackay, Silver Platter (1957). There are four small casters recessed in the sleigh's runners to permit sliding across a table without disturbing the dregs. As a child I only saw them on Christmas Eve, when my grandmother would fill them with gardenias received from her brother-in-law, Irving Berlin.

It's tremendous fun having them in the family.

Michael
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[2209patrick]

Hello Michael. Welcome to the forum.

Thank you very much for the great information on this fine piece.

Pat.
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