A Queen Anne Britannia standard silver tumbler cup, London 1703 by William Keate (free 1689)

Of plain rounded form with a caulked edge. The underside engraved with contemporaneous initials *I*T* in Roman script above the date 1704. Fully marked underneath.

Diameter – 7.4 cm / 3 inches

Height – 6.2 cm / 2.5 inches

Weight – 133 grams / 4.28 ozt

Keate or Keatt was the son of William Keate of Reading, a labourer, and was apprenticed to plateworker John Spackman for eight years form the 30th November 1681, free 6^th Dec 1689. He subsequently registered Britannia standard marks during the period of its enforced use 1697-1720. His address was given as Foster Lane in 1697 when he signed the Declaration of Loyalty to William III. He was elected to the livery in 1705 and appears to have died sometime before 1735.

This makers mark (Grimwade 1868), although partially struck can be confidently allotted to Keate from the remains of the letters, and the distinctive mullet of six points, within a shaped punch.