A rare William III Irish silver lidded tankard
Joseph Walker, Dublin 1699
Plain slightly tapering cylindrical form, the hinged slightly raised flat cover with cast scroll thumb piece, the front engraved with a crest, the scroll handle with engraved initials 'A' over 'I*E', moulded skirted foot, height 19.5cm, weight 28.3oz.
Footnotes:
Provenance
Christies 27th November 1986, lot 214

Blazon of crest: an arm embowed in armour holding in the hand proper a sword (between two palm branches).
Searching the monogram sources gives us two possible families: (1) ERSKINE and (2) ALEXANDER Baronet of Dublin.
There is no apparent record of ERSKINE in Ireland. However the ALEXANDER family as Baronets, of Nova Scotia, of Dublin City were users of this crest in the period circa 1699 and were part of a network of related ALEXANDER families, which included the Earls of Caledon, the family of Forkhill co. Armagh and the family of Ahilly co. Donegal who used the same crest.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: *
* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.

The hallmark on side are rubbed, smoothing around edges but distinguishable, date letter clear.
The hallmark on cover also rubbed, with more wear. See images.
Maker's mark also struck on the handle, also heavily rubbed.
Hinge is firm and only slight movement to the cover.
Surface of the cover a little bright, more so to one half and with firestaining, also pushed in at this point and thinner gauge here, also this area a little springy. Probably due to erasure.
Two fine straight yellow solder lines to the rim of the cover, just either side of the hinge section (see images).
The body with general surface wear, light surface wear and light surface scratches and some contact marks.
Crest to the front, the engraving is well defined and as such would indicate from the surface wear that this has been engraved later. The area is not apparently thin at this point.

The lower junction of the handle is slightly pushing into the body, noticeable on the inside where it is creasing.
The surface of the handle has more uneven surface wear and rubbing.
There is some crude yellow solder around the junction of the upper handle joining the body, slightly uneven surface below this. No obvious repair to the inside corresponding to this point. Also crude solder above this point probably repairing the upper seam of the handle (see images), more so on one side.
A small amount of solder residue to the lower scroll of the handle. The corners to the lower terminal bent inwards.
More surface scuffs in the inner surface of the handle.