Need help figuring out my antique

[cjolly]

Hello everyone,

I have this device that is similar to tea peculator if there is such a thing. I really have no idea what it is.

It is sterling silver, the approximate age of the device is supposedly from the 1930's. It was made in Glasgow Scotland.
On both sides there is writing saying "NON RECEDAM" and above it there is an individual that looks to be covered by a shield.

I have no idea what this is, and I don't have any idea of the approximate value of it, so any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[sapphire]

Not idea what you have there but certainly interesting and attractive.

Non recedam - "No Retreat" or "I will not go back"

[sapphire]

cjolly, are there any other markings?  bottom of either of the articles or stand? check in unlikely places.

BTW, welcome and it's fun seeing another "what is it?"

[waywardangler]

One similar to this was/is on Worthpoint listed as a "SPECTACULAR ANTIQUE SILVER COFFEE TEA MILK SIEVE WARMER" but they were not sure what it was exactly for either.  I do not have a subscription so I do not know what it sold for.  It sold in 2006.

[cjolly]

cjolly, are there any other markings?  bottom of either of the articles or stand? check in unlikely places.

BTW, welcome and it's fun seeing another "what is it?"

Ummm, actually there are some markings on the bottom of the stand itself

Engraved in the silver it says "723" which looks like it was melded in, right underneath there are four symbols which are hard to make out, possibly the symbols the type of silver? I'm not sure
To the right of the line of the four symbols there is another symbol which is larger and it looks like the palm of a hand, it looks like a hand being stuck out to shake someones hand
As well it looks as though someone has scratched in "357"

[sapphire]

Any chance you could get a shot of those four symbols?  Try shooting at a 45-60 degree angle, preferably in daylight.

[ironlord1963]

Sure sounds like you have English hallmarks for sure.  This is a wonderful item and just it weight in silver will command $$$.00 +.   However we will need to figure out your hallmarks to give you a fair evaluation of your item.  If you can get the maker and year and pattern down, you are looking at a really nice item in terms of value, history, and beauty.

[regularjoe2]

Welcome to the forum , cjolly .

Nice unusual item you've got there , on your nicely set table .

Appears to me , from your images , that the knob on the spigot is bone or ivory .

As others have posted , hallmarks on your item(s) are a bit of a key for members to be able to research .
Such marks can clairify the silver content of your items , as well as other good data .

There should be hallmarks on the 'cup' , vessel & stand (& maybe on the burner assembly as well) to choose from (for photos) ... they can be a bit of a pain to photograph , due to being on reflective surfaces & small size .

I'm thinking , at this point , that it may be , perhaps , a multi-use warming vessel .

I'm a bit curious to see an image of the top of the vessel & also to know how far (roughly) the pipe extends into the cup .


Thanks for all your postings & images so far , cjolly .

[cogar]

Non recedam - "No Retreat" or "I will not go back"

I was guessing "no recede" --- or no return.

I think it means that after all the liquid is siphoned up and into the urn it will not re-siphon itself back into the container (whatever it's called) on the left of the picture.

I'm assuming or guessing that .... with the "alcohol" burner underneath the unit for heating up the inside of the urn ..... which would force the air (or liquid) out .... and when the burner goes out the inside temperature drops, causing a vaccuum which "sucks" the liquid out of the container and into the urn ..... to be dispensed out the spigot. 

[cjolly]

Ok so i took some more pictures and got some more hallmarks for you guys ...

First off the 4 symbols on the bottom of the base appear to be "P P & S" and they are in their own individual boxes. Secondly underneath the burner, the numbers "357" are scratched into it.

I have also added 3 pictures of the writing on the bottom of the unit, some of the design on the "cup" object and a picture of the spout with the ivory handle

[cjolly]

I took these pictures as well to give an idea of the size of the unit

Hope this helps

[KC]

Believe you will find out about it from here.

The Napierian  brewer was much preferred in England, and stunningly beautiful silver-plated versions continued to be made into the early part of the twentieth century.

http://baharris.org/coffee/History.htm
http://www.coffeesalon.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=11784


I have been collecting tea and coffee memorabilia for years and have seen this before.  Don't see many up for sale because they are prized by families to stay in the families.
This is a using the "balancing siphon" technique - coffee in one and water in the other.  The round globe is heated and thus forces it out into the cup.  The flame goes out ( Usually a spring activation was added to counterweight and have this happen) and cools the liquids....thus sucking the contents back into the globe and is dispensed.  These were originally made in glass - but due to the frailty of the glass at the time would explode or bread if the flame didn't go out.

Believe yours is made by Williams Padley & Sons  http://www.925-1000.com/silverplate_P.html  Do these resemble your marks?

Thomas Smith & Son (Elkington & Company, Ltd., successors) began to manufacture at Glasgow, Scotland, about 1870, the Napierian vacuum coffee machine which had been invented in 1840—but never patented—by Robert Napier of the celebrated firm of Clyde shipbuilders. This machine makes coffee by distillation and filtration. It employs a metal globe, and a brewer from which the coffee is syphoned over into the globe through a tube, around the strainer-end of which, as it rests in the coffee liquid in the brewer, there is tied a filter cloth. It is still being manufactured by Elkington & Company.

However, yours looks a lot like the one in this thread!
http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000735.html

[talesofthesevenseas]

Is there any way you can get clear photos of the hallmarks? Try taking the photo from a little further back, then if you don't have Photoshop, one of us can try zooming up on the image and cropping it down to size. You're welcome to email it to me if you'd like to and I'll give it shot.

[cjolly]

Believe you will find out about it from here.

The Napierian  brewer was much preferred in England, and stunningly beautiful silver-plated versions continued to be made into the early part of the twentieth century.

http://baharris.org/coffee/History.htm
http://www.coffeesalon.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=11784


I have been collecting tea and coffee memorabilia for years and have seen this before.  Don't see many up for sale because they are prized by families to stay in the families.
This is a using the "balancing siphon" technique - coffee in one and water in the other.  The round globe is heated and thus forces it out into the cup.  The flame goes out ( Usually a spring activation was added to counterweight and have this happen) and cools the liquids....thus sucking the contents back into the globe and is dispensed.  These were originally made in glass - but due to the frailty of the glass at the time would explode or bread if the flame didn't go out.

Believe yours is made by Williams Padley & Sons  http://www.925-1000.com/silverplate_P.html  Do these resemble your marks?

Thomas Smith & Son (Elkington & Company, Ltd., successors) began to manufacture at Glasgow, Scotland, about 1870, the Napierian vacuum coffee machine which had been invented in 1840—but never patented—by Robert Napier of the celebrated firm of Clyde shipbuilders. This machine makes coffee by distillation and filtration. It employs a metal globe, and a brewer from which the coffee is syphoned over into the globe through a tube, around the strainer-end of which, as it rests in the coffee liquid in the brewer, there is tied a filter cloth. It is still being manufactured by Elkington & Company.

However, yours looks a lot like the one in this thread!
http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000735.html

THAT'S IT!

Ok so now for the big question, how much would this possibly go for?

[cjolly]

Or better yet, is there an approximate value for this item? Does anyone have any idea, even roughly, how much this object would be worth?