American silver tankard made by George Hanners of Boston c.1730, sold for £4800 at Dreweatts.
Leading the line was an American silver tankard made by George Hanners of Boston c.1730. It had an estimate of £300-500 but sold for £4800.
Colonial silver is rare and extremely collectable, these early forms connected with the common vision of life in pioneering America and the struggle of revolution. Boston, New York and Philadelphia were the main centres of production, each with regional variations.
Apprenticed to Andrew Tyler in Boston from around 1710-17, George Hanners (or Hannah) died in May 1740 a wealthy man with an estate valued at $2670. His silver cup dated 1720 is housed at Yale University.
The mark to the silver tankard made by George Hanners of Boston c.1730, sold for £4800 at Dreweatts.
Scandinavian form
Also selling well was a George II provincial silver peg tankard by John Langlands I (Newcastle 1759).
This traditional Scandinavian form standing at 8¾in (22cm) high and weighing 33.8oz bears the quartered arms of the Spearman family of Oldacres, Sedgefield, Co Durham.
It was made possibly for Robert Spearman (1703-61), an eccentric theologian and land owner whose father of the same name (1657-1728) was an attorney in the city of Durham.
Peg tankards have a long history in the Scandinavian and Baltic countries. British examples reflect the established trading links across the North Sea and close cultural ties with northern Europe
Other examples are also known from Edinburgh, Newcastle, York and Hull.
Most survivors date from the 17th century or the Victorian period so this Georgian example by Langlands is highly unusual.
In good condition, the estimate of £700-1000 was far exceeded at £4200.
