Help with identfying please

[Mali8]

I don't know what this piece is called. There is also a lid that goes with it. There is the mark on the bottom and a lion on the side and 2 lions with rings through there faces. Any help would be appreciated. Thank-you so much. I have already searched quite a few places. That is how I got to where I am now. Glad there is a site out here like this.

[silverport]

Because the object has also a lid = Not a flower pot or a wine cooler.

Hello »Mali8«

Welcome to the Forum.

I guess that it is for lavatory use.

The marks image is so little, that’s impossible to see details of the marks complexity — please add afterwards a much clearer image of the mark; my eyes say there fore in advance: Thank you!

It looks like that the mark is composed with feather bushes and flapping ribbons. But it seems that there are only two feathers — instead of three, if it is symbolizing the »Prince of Wales« feather bushes.

Have you made a magnetic test of the basic material?

Especially the first image let see big area of red-brownish rust — or copper?

Iron couldn’t be directly electro galvanic plated — so it is need a layer of copper in between.

During the First World War, many items were made that way — maybe yours collector too?

Kind regards silverport

[Mali8]

Hi I have left out some details, it only measures 2 1/4" tall. There are 3 feathers, it's that there is a small stain spot over and around the other one it was hard to get a clear picture. To me it looks like to duck heads out of the bottom. I have taken a few more pictures, maybe this will help. my camera does not take real good closeups. Because there is a stain in the symbol it makes it harder to see. But the picture does have 3 feathers and 2 of those little heads at the bottom on each side. Let me know if this helps any. I am really anxious to find out what this is and who made it. I appreciate all the help that you can give me. Thank-you ahead of time for your time. Also it is not magnetic.

[2209patrick]

[silverport]

Because the object has also a lid, and is 2 ¼ “ tall = maybe a container for cotton swabs?

Hello »Mali8«

I guess that it is for use on the dressing or vanity table; as container for fresh cotton wool swabs.

As I’ve already mentioned in my former answer: It looks like that the mark is composed with feather bushes and flapping ribbons (not "duck heads"). Feather bushes in this composition normally are symbolizing the »Prince of Wales« feather bushes. Here surrounding a shield with unknown letters, monogram or symbols.

But it seems to me, that it is in this case one of the trade marks of E.G. Webster & Son, from Brooklyn, NY, United States.

Please look here for to could see only a few examples of their manifold trade marks they’ve used:

http://www.925-1000.com/silverplate_W.html

Kind regards silverport

[Mali8]

Hi Silverport, That has helped some, but I am looking for an age. I have spents hours pouring over the internet trying to figure out what this container is. Trying to find out if it did hold cotton swabs. E.G. Webster & Son was a company from 1865-1866 then it became Webster Mfg. Co from 1867 - 1874, then I believe they were boought out by International Silver Co. So if those dates are correct then this piece would be that old.
I just want to know absolutely what this item is. I have been looking for items similar to it also. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it very much.
I have read a few of your posts to other people, And did enjoy the detail that you put into them. You are quite knowledgeable! Thanks for your time.
Mali
PS, I did not mean to say that those marks were duck heads, just that they resembled them. Sometimes I wonder what there purpose was for putting that kind of mark on a piece of metal. I know it is for identfying, but it makes you wonder why they came up with it, does it have meaning to something. I would be really interested to know, but probably never will unless someone tooks notes from way back when.
Thanks

[silverport]

Well, it could be that this little container is elder as supposed.

Hello Mali

I haven’t American hollowware catalogues — and it’s a pity, that »google« select the viewer of their stored books; so I couldn’t see them, because my computers internet signals, also on bypasses, inform their Host: »Not being an American visitor«.

Please look, if you could enter this: http://www.925-1000.com/eBooks_01.html

There was also a link to a maybe complete catalogue? Which I couldn’t enter too.

I guess further more, that the function of yours little container could be, as already mentioned, a container for cotton swabs?

Let’s go to make a little excursion to the historic background:

Wars of Independence were over; but live style and styling tendencies as like in the United Kingdom has resisted in America. Then there came up a time, well of hard working, but also of a growing prosperity. European emigrants arrived, and assisted in the establishing and grow of industry and economy — which on the other side has also helped them too, to become established.

In 1851 the London Expo was a Grand Start of commercial influences — well in style »overdone«. John Gorham travelled then after in 1852 in Europe; not to see “show ups” only, but facts of production techniques and styles. In between this kind of global presentation of ethnic culture and technique became, from start on, also in America such popularity, that already the second global show was 1853 held in New York. Influenced maybe by John Gorham too?

A big obstacle jumped up, the Secessions War. It became not only necessary to solve this human problem; but look out, to find in many other areas solutions for the Nations future.

So in 1863 Gorham started also to make Electro plated wares; in that time this new application of technique was already out of pampers. After Gorham’s start, also other American producers have start to trust in this semi-new technique — investments had to be made, and merger with others were often better then to die commercially.

The beloved symbol of America is the Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephal. But many European emigrants arrived with the Lion in their minds. This animal wasn’t unknown before in the States; but then in a growing market, the lion enlarged the visual language, and became commercial value not only as a stroked mark on cutlery.

Valuated not only by the emigrants; then the lion became the status of being a novelty for much more applications. Well, that hasn’t happen in one year only; but during the whole styling period of welfare. And so I guess, the lions have got their place in many American applications, not only on yours container.

I think that this is the stage around 1870 or some times later, when on one of these days your little container was “born”.

The styling of the rim which is shown in yours top-view, and that of the lids knob let me guess as already explained, that they are in an American styling language from about 1870-1900.

On the bottom of the little container was room enough to place a punch, as the graphic designer has designed for the company’s letter head — with the imposing feather bushes, bound together with a long flapping, on the ends incise clipped ribbon, background for a little but impressive shield. »Here we are; proof our quality«.

Study of old catalogues and letterheads of that time would help to understand these visual languages.

Kind regards silverport

[Mali8]

Hi, I went to the link you talked about and looked through a catalogue that had holloware, anyways, after looking at everything in the catalog. I believe this may be a Tea Caddie. It did come with alot of Tea items that I bought, does that sound like it may be that. Have a Nice Weekend!

[dragonflywink]

E.G. Webster was a prolific Brooklyn, NY manufacturer, mostly silverplate; according to most references it was formed as Webster Mfg. in 1859, name changed to E.G. Webster & Bros. in 1873, name changed to E.G. Webster & Son in 1886, became part of International Silver in 1928 and production was moved to Meriden, CT. International was initially a cooperative formed in 1898, with the companies continuing production using their own marks for a number of years, most into the 1930s. The mark is, as mentioned, a Prince of Wales plume, similar marks were used by many American companies, perhaps as a nod to the quality of British silver. The "stain" is almost certainly where someone placed a drop of silver-testing acid and it ate away the plating to reveal copper. Can't say what your item is, but doubt that it is a tea caddy at that size, more likely a novelty piece intended to hold something small. The lid seems a bit out of scale in your picture, is it possible that it's not original?

~Cheryl