A rare and unusual George III provincial sterling silver beaker, Newcastle 1782 by John Langlands I and John Robertson

Of tapering cylindrical form with a moulded rim upon a domed incised foot. The coin set body composed of from the position of the marks following right:

Upper row

James I, second issue, fifth bust, shilling, mint mark bell over key 1610-11

Elizabeth I, fifth issue, sixth bust, shilling, mint mark crescent 1587-89

James I, second issue, third bust, shilling, mint mark rose 1605-06

Elizabeth I, sixth issue, bust 6B, shilling mint mark woolpack 1594-96

James I, third issue, fifth bust, shilling mint mark cross saltire 1619

Elizabeth I, sixth issue, bust 6B, shilling mint mark tun 1592-5

Lower row

Elizabeth I fifth issue, bust 5A, six pence mint mark bell 1582

Elizabeth I sixth issue, bust 6C, six pence mint mark hand 1590

James I sixth issue, sixth bust, six pence mint mark lis 1624

Elizabeth I, sixth issue, bust 6C, six pence mint mark tun 1593

Elizabeth I, seventh issue, six pence mint mark 1 1601

James I, second issue, fourth bust, six pence mint mark grapes 1607

Fully marked to rim.

Height – 13 cm / 5.1 inches

Weight – 216 grams / 6.94 ozt

The tradition of setting coins into beakers is a distinctly German one that was produced throughout the 17^th to 19^th centuries. However, it is extremely rare and unusual in English silver apart from within the bowl of punch ladles which in themselves would only rarely use the older hammered coinage like this beaker. One of the only other examples of English Georgian silver set with coins is a twin handled tray of 1824 by Emes and Barnard set with a variety of English, Portuguese and Brazilian gold coins, sold Christie’s New York, 21 April 2016, lot 104 ($33,750 incl. prem).