Very cool colonial silver from the Rev.War period. Yard sale find.

[Aureus]

Just wanted to share an amazing find at a Yard Sale. I sure wish I had found it with my metal detector but I doubt I would pull it out of the ground in such an amazing condition.

Got this colonial sterling silver container that still has its intact blue glass jar.
The hallmarks indicate it was made by Thomas Daniel in London and the year mark I believe stands for 1777 When I first saw it, I didn't have my hallmarks reference chart on me but just by the way the item was decorated I had no doubt in my mind that it was old. The design on the sides of the container seems to represent the cane sugar plant, which would make sense as the sugar was the driver of the major economies at that period. The access to the sugar cane fields in the colonies also played an important role in the wars between the European powers. Without the blue glass jar, (only the sterling silver part) the item contains almost 100gr. of the precious metal. Couldn't be happier with the purchase as I have only paid 60 bucks for it! Goes to show that it's a good call sometimes to stop by the yard sales.

 

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[Aureus]

Congratualtions on the beautiful piece!

Thanks PoE

 

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[Aureus]

Hi, wow that is a beautiful piece. Congrats on the nice piece

Thanks Brendan75

 

[Aureus]

Wow. So was it used to hold sugar to sweeten drinks like tea?

It has survived 241 years in this condition! I can't leave something out for a day without a cat knocking it to the floor...

Great find!

As some suggested it could indeed be a mustard jar, but I still believe it might have a cane sugar design. Yes, it's crazy to imagine it survived intact for so long while being used by many generations.

 

[Aureus]

was it an old home / area yard sale ? those are the best chances at scoring something really nice

gorgeous find

Thanks stealthycat. It was a community Yard sale so I'm not sure if people it belonged to had an old house. But yes, the area was very old.

 

[Javadroid]

How in the world does something like that land on a table in a garage sale? Or stay on it for long? You're heart had to pound as you looked it over. Stunning find - congrats!

 

[namxat]

Awesome find. And don't actually use it for anything. The cobalt glass of that period tends to be radioactive. (mildly) They had no idea back then.

I think I can ease some worries here. Cobalt Glass does not have usually any meaningful radioactivity that could harm, one cobalt isotope is strongly radioactive yet this is not used for glassware but for medical application (and good forbid that some ISIS terrorist gets large quantities of it!)

Uranuim glass is radioactive and generally not advised anymore for use as dish. Since it is however only an Alpha type activity it should even be save for display and non-contact use.

Uranium glass can be blue or blueish (it usually semi opaque green) but i) That above is from the looks deep rich cobalt and ii) I am unsure if uranium glass was manufactured in that times anyway.

If you are unsure put "black light" on it. If it glows eerily, its uranium glass!

Greet namxt

 

[A2coins]

i thought you were going to say 50 cents thats a great piece worth more than 60 for sure

 

[Aureus]

I think it may be a condiment pot - chutney , jam , mustard - the vertical sides suggest this to me , rather than a sugar caddy .Just a guess - excellent find !

Thanks Argentium. Yes, it can very well be.

 

[Aureus]

Awesome find. And don't actually use it for anything. The cobalt glass of that period tends to be radioactive. (mildly) They had no idea back then.

Thanks smokey. I'll be careful.

 

[Aureus]

Awesome find!

I believe Argentium is right. This is a "drum" style mustard pot. Beaded rim on top and base. The gap at the top is for the spoon that would have accompanied it. Do some searching for Thomas Daniel London and mustard pot and you will find a few similar "drum" style examples to yours. A couple UK based auction houses/antique stores have some similar examples available for purchase (and a nice amount too!).

Cool!

-Hunter

Thanks hbeaton. They really do look similar. Knowing that it's from the same maker, I have now doubt now it's a mustard pot. And 2000$ it's selling for shows that I did well paying 60$ for it.

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/dining-entertaining/more-dining-entertaining/very-unusual-george-iii-mustard-pot-made-london-1779-thomas-daniel/id-f_7389483/

 

[Aureus]

How in the world does something like that land on a table in a garage sale? Or stay on it for long? You're heart had to pound as you looked it over. Stunning find - congrats!

Thanks Javaroid
I have seen it before but usually the best items are gone by the time I get there. In this case the lady selling just brought some new items from here house and was unpacking the boxes. Was lucky I guess.

 

[Aureus]

i thought you were going to say 50 cents thats a great piece worth more than 60 for sure

Oh I believe it's a good purchase. It's worth close to a 1000 bucks.