A Victorian sterling silver water pitcher / jug, London 1885 by John Aldwinckle & Thomas Slater

In the Romanesque style, the fluted ovid body raised on a circular foot with acanthus and fluting. The waisted high fluted neck with embossed acanthus leaves and a reeded rim, leafing to a beaded and acanthus scroll handle. Presentation inscription to the underside of handle “Joshua Sweyn Swithinbank from 12 members of the Mackenzie family (of Fawley Court) after 24 years service 1887”. Fully marked to neck.

Height – 31.2 cm / 12.25 inches

Weight – 526 grams / 16.91 ozt

Fawley Court, Buckinghamshire was sold to the railway contractor Edward Mackenzie in 1853. He retired to Fawley following many successful ventures developing major stages of the railway network in France, following the decline due to ill health and death of his partner and brother, the famous civil engineer and railway builder, William Mackenzie. Edward Mackenzie himself died in 1880, and the house was inherited by his son, William Dalziel Mackenzie.