Pitcher, Ice Water

Object Name:

Pitcher, Ice Water

Object ID:

1972.055.01-.02

Creator:

Meriden Britannia Company -- Manufacturer

Place of Origin:

Meriden, CT

Date:

circa 1895

Description:

Tilting Cold Water Pitcher, on tray. Part of a set including goblet and bowl (1972.055.01-04). Silver plate. Pitcher (.01) is insulated and lined with a white enameled liner. Inside pitcher is a removable metal disk with hole in center, which may have been used as a separator between ice and fluid inside. Pitcher has a loop handle attached, hinged lid, and covered spout with hinged spout flap. Pitcher also has a knob on each side that sets into U-shaped holders attached to the tray. Lid is dome-shaped with a tall fan-shaped finial. Lid decoration is etched and includes scrolls, diamonds, flowers, and leaves. Handle is cast and is extensively decorated with flowers. Upper handle juncture is decorated with a geometric design. Spout is cast and decorated with flowers, leaves, and a swag. Body of pot is cylindrical with band around base that is fully decorated in a scroll, flower, and leaf motif. Bottom narrows slightly to a circular base ring. Stamped on bottom are two circles; left circle contains a scale within a shield surrounded with text in upper case sans-serif lettering: "MERIDEN B*COMPANY". Right circle has the following text also in upper case sans-serif lettering: "MERIDEN,CT". Also stamped on bottom in upper case sans-serif letters, incuse: "PATD JUNE 13.1868/PATD NOV.3D 1868/36". Two holes in bottom of pitcher.
Tray (.02) is a flat circular tray with convex shoulder and flat 1" brim. Two cast handles attach to tray. Above one handle are two uprights made of metal rods in a "D" shape and filled with decorative elements including leaves, branches, berries, and scrolls. The leaves are cut sheet metal, whereas the other elements are metal rods. A single curved rod connects the two uprights ~3.5" above the tray. Brim of tray decorated fully with flowers and scrolls. Handles are also decorated with flowers and scrolls. Center of tray as well as inner edge of tray have bands of roulette work. Square metal support under tray handle near the uprights. Stamped on underside of other handle in a circle is a scale within a shield surrounded in upper case sans-serif letters: "MERIDEN / B*COMPANY". Beneath the mark is stamped number "36" incuse.

Material:

Metal
Silver

Dimensions:

H-14.25 W-14.75 D-11 inches

Provenance:

The donor, Alexis Chapman Proctor (1895-1979), made several donations of Proctor family household furnishings through the 1960s and 1970s; the family resided in Franklin, NH. However, no provenance was provided with this object.
According to notes in the accession file, this piece matches one in an 1895 sales catalog.

Credit Line:

Gift of Alexis Chapman Proctor

People:

Proctor, Alexis C. (1895-1979)