Tankard

Object Name:

Tankard

Object ID:

1999.015 a-b

Creator:

Finchenhagen, Morten -- Designer

Place of Origin:

Christiania, Norway

Date:

1712

Description:

Tankard (A), with Plaque (B). Silver. Heavily ornamented, including the following features: hinged lid with inset medal and lion thumbpiece; hollow scroll handle; front cypher; three feet in shape of lions; engraved dedication; maker's marks; interior pegs; and remnants of a chain.
Lid: Designs in repousse and engraving include strapwork, flowers, leaves, a shell, a face, and a crown. The designs surround a medal (silver with gold wash) set in center. Both obverse and reverse of the medal are visible. Obverse depicts a man holding a rod or scroll, with two cannons behind him, and the sea with several ships. Distinctive marks on the man's formal clothing include a cross on his chest, and a belt with a heart-shaped end. Text around the rim reads "DN.NICOL IVEL. EQ." and "R.D. ARCHITHAL." Reverse of medal depicts ships on the sea, with text around rim, "PRAELIVM INTER CLASSES CHRIST.V. / ET.CAR.XI.I.IVL.MDCLXXvII. / DN.NICOL.IVEL.ET.HENR.HORN.DVC." Medal measures 2.75" diam.
Handle: D-shaped handle, the bottom of which rests on one of the lions. Handle embossed and has applied bellflower and leaf decoration.
Front cypher: depicts mirror images of initials, "MDK" surrounded with "C". Cypher surrounded by mantling.
Feet: Cast silver lions with front paws resting on ball. Human face behind each lion. Engraved dedication: Pricked into the silver bottom, "Chriftian Rustad / og / Berthe A Gjendrum / 1835", with a curved decorative element.
Maker's marks: Two marks stamped on bottom, both of Morten Finchenhagen. One mark is heart shaped with "MF / H", and the other is an unidentified shape with "712" surrounded by a "C" within a circular mark. Hammer marks visible on bottom.
Pegs: Six silver pegs are evenly spaced from bottom to top of tankard, and are located on the handle side.
Chain: The highest peg has a loop around it with several chain links (that match the chain links on the plaque, 1999.015B).
Plaque (B) is silver, and shield-shaped with chain at top. Engraved script text: "Norwegian Tankard from / 1712 / The medal was presented by King / Christian V to Admiral Niels Tuul / in memory of the battle in the Bay of / Copenhagen 1677 between the Naval / forces of Denmark and Norway and / those of Sweden, in which the latter / were defeated / The tankard has been in the / possession of the descendants of Niels / Tuul since then and is considered an / object of national interest in Norway. / Christian Bors / Bergen October 10th 1892. / To Edward Tuck Esq. Paris."
OBJECT REGISTER:
A. Tankard - 8.75" high (5.9" base to rim), 8.9" deep with handle (5.75" diam. of base).
B. Plaque - 3" x 2.4". (No mark on plaque, apparently hung on a chain from top peg on interior of tankard, 1995.015A; one link of chain is broken).

Material:

Metal
Silver

Dimensions:

H-8.75 W-8.9 Dia-5.75 inches

Provenance:

The medal in the top of the tankard was presented to Admiral Niels Juel (1629-1697) by King Christian V (1646-1699) of Norway in memory of the battle of the Bay of Copenhagen 1677. The names, Chriftian Rustad and Berthe A Gjendrum, 1835, are pricked on the bottom of the tankard.
The tankard was presented to Edward Tuck (1842-1938) on October 10th, 1892 by Christian Bors (c.1824-) in Bergen, Norway. Bors was the Norweigian Consul to Boston; Tuck had served as American Consul to Paris.
The donors of the tankard were the children of William Henry Vanderbilt, Sr. (1901-1981), grandson of Edward Tuck's sister, Ellen Tuck French (1838-1915).

Credit Line:

Gift of the Family of William H. Vanderbilt

People:

Tuck, Edward (1842-1938), Juel, Niels (1629-1697), Vanderbilt, William Henry (1901-1981), Finchenhagen, Morten (1687-1731), King Christian V (1646-1699), Bors, Christian (c.1824- ), Rustad, Christian ( -1844), Gjerdrum, Berthe Andrea ( -1878), Aidinoff, Ellen V. (1931- ), Hartwell, Anne V. (1931- ), Wade, Emily V. (1925- ), Vanderbilt, William Henry (1901-1981), Jr.

Subjects:

Tankards, Silver, Kings