A good George II sterling silver pint mug, London 1744 by John Eckfourd II (this mark reg. 20^th June 1739)

Of baluster form upon a spreading circular moulded foot. The rim with an incised edge, the leaf capped double C scroll handle with a moulded upper junction. The front engraved with an impaled coat of arms within a rocaille C scroll cartouche, flanked by flowering plants. Fully marked underneath.

Height – 11.6 cm / 4.55 inches

Weight – 421 grams / 13.54 ozt

The arms are for Allen of Pembrokeshire impaling either Holder of South Wheatly, Nottingham; Collinson, Somerset or Angram, Hill House, Frome Somerset

The dexter arms, according to Papworth: Per bend rompu arg. and sa. six martlets coun- terchanged. Allen, Cresselly, co. Pembroke, a younger branch of Allen, Dale Castle, co. Pembroke. There are also several variants for Allyene.

There is a later marriage between Herbert James Allen (1841-1911) of Tenby who married Mary Collinson (1852-1930) on the 3^rd April 1877. He the son of Charles Allen (1808-84) of Tenby, she the daughter of Dr William James Goodeve MD of Clifton, Bristol. Herbert James served in Chinese consular service 1861-88, finishing his career as British consul at Newchwang; JP for Pembrokeshire; High Sheriff of Pembrokeshire, 1909; Fellow of Royal Geographical Society.

It is unclear whether these arms relate to the above marriage and were engraved in the mid-18^th century style or refer to a period marriage between a combination of the ‘Allen’ spellings and either Holder, Collinson or Angram, which is as of yet not identified.

Grimwade 1269: The son of John Eckfourd I, goldsmith of London was apprenticed to John Fawdrey on the 24th Jan 1712 but turned over to his father on February 14th of the same year and then again on the 29th June 1714 to Phillip Rollos. Free 4th July 1723 he registered marks in both standards on the 23rd June 1725 at Three Tun Court, Red Cross Street. He was still alive in 1753.