TANKARD

Creator(s): W. Thornhill and Company (Firm)

Currently in storage

About this object

The main body of the tankard is a cross section of an elephant's tusk. The tusk has been cleaned inside and cut to a diameter of less than half an inch. The outside is left unfinished except for two oval panels on the long sides which have been polished and each engraved with a hunting scene: 1) on back is the Start for the Hunt-to the right an Amazon with a man standing beside her holding his horse while two mounted men are nearby. At the left, one man is mounting while three are already on their horses. In the central distance is a pack of hounds, 2) on the front is engraved The kill-one man in the midst of the hounds is holding up the fox while the other hunters are grouped around him, only one being dismounted. The ivory is mounted with a silver rim at the top and bottom and with two horns of a wild animal attached above and below to the two rims to serve as handles. In the bottom is a piece of glass to make is usable (since fallen out).

Object name:

TANKARD

Made from:

Ivory -- horn -- silver

Made in:

London, England

Date made:

1878

Size:

18.3 × 30.5 cm (7 3/16 × 12 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:

36.16

Class:

IVORY

Signature marks:

MARK W. Thornhill and Co., (diamond with firm's trademark within it) 144 New Bond Street, London; two sets of identical trademarks: lion rampant for England, Leopard's head for London, Queen's head to left for Victoria, C within a shield for 1878, WPW for silversmith [On back of upper silver rim] INSCRIPTION To John Baird from Francis Pym, April 23rd, 1878 [On front of upper silver rim]

Credit line:

Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973