old handmade wooden cup(mug/stein)

[toulouse]

This cup is appx 5-6 inches in height and appears to be handmade. while the photos are not great they show 2 insignias one is from Queen Victoria. would like to know what the other one is? and also why they would be on the side of an old wooden cup?
appreciate any information someone could share..........toulouse

 

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[nhbenz]

Darn, I was hoping to find it at the link below, but didn't. It was interesting enough, and related, so I thought I'd post it anyway: Authentic Antique Navy Rum Cup or Rum Measures Copper Tin Lining Royal Navy and US Navy Sailors Daily Rum Tot or Grog, Kaiserliche Marine or Reichsmarine, Russian Empire

 

[nhbenz]

Ok, this is better. It seems to be described as a measure at the link below (toward the bottom): Below Stairs of Hungerford Antiques Measures, Gauges & Rulers

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[toulouse]

appreciate the links...........very helpful. at least now i have an idea of what to pursue figuring this thing out.

 

[Red-Coat]

Just tidying up some blasts from the past (including some very ancient ones), largely for the benefit of anyone searching the site for information.

Neat find.

This would be called a ‘treen’ (literally ‘of the tree’) measure and the term is used to describe all manner of small utilitarian items hand carved from wood in olden times. Although such measures were indeed used aboard ships as rum measures and for other purposes (a Royal Navy item would be marked with the ‘broad arrow’ to indicate it was government property) they were more widely used by merchants, market traders, shops and taverns. They were used both for dry goods and liquids (especially beer), and the actual capacity was usually carved somewhere along the rim (or sometimes together with the crown mark).

The ‘VR’ mark with the crown is a ‘capacity mark’, indicating that the vessel has been approved by an official Weights and measures Inspector as being the correct (marked) capacity. Such marks became a nationwide legal requirement in Britain in 1836, but had been voluntarily self-applied by some makers prior to that, as well as having been formally enforced by some city authorities such as London & Westminster. Also, unmarked vessels which remained in use after 1836 were habitually officially marked retrospectively.

Until about 1878 each town generally had its own style of mark. From roughly 1879 onwards a uniform style was adopted consisting of a crown, the monarch’s title (as VR, GR or ER) and a number to denote the location where it was inspected. Measures often received multiple inspections during their lifetime and may carry several verification marks. Sometimes inspectors merely stamped a two digit number under the original mark to denote the year of re-inspection.

The other mark is a bit of a mystery. I would like to think it’s ‘G III R’ for George III (1760-1820) but, although I could persuade myself the first letter is a ‘G’ (looks more like a ‘C’ to me), the second letter doesn’t look at all like an ‘R’ (seems to be a ‘W’ or an ‘M’). The crown is also atypical of George’s royal cipher. My best guess is that this is a pre-1836 self-applied mark by, and for, the maker, but with an intentional resemblance to George III’s cipher. Note also that there appears to be an ‘AR’ mark alongside it, sometimes seen on early measures and of uncertain meaning, but usually with a crown above it.

So, I would think this is probably a late Georgian measure which has subsequently been officially inspected in Victorian times, between 1838 and 1879 (but likely the very beginning of that period).

 

[Almy]

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it bears a resemblance to oak. If so, likely white oak. That species is used for rum barrels too.

 

[tamrock]

I found this piece of treen some time ago. I auctioned it on ebay not long after I purchased it and it attracted some good bidding activity and sold for maybe over $80.00 if I recall. I do remember the person who won the auction was in the UK and sent me a note after he received it saying he was well pleased with it and to notify him if I ever come by anymore pieces like it. I never did find out where it might of come from or how old it could be. When I found it in a flea market I did believe it to have some age to it. In this link I attached a video of this fella with a bit of explanation on what treen is.

Have you ever seen old antique treen?

I found this today at an indoor flea market. This little very well made turned box is know as a piece of treen. I believe this is very old and it has very faint pencil writing on it. On the bottom it looks like in pencil a year of 1864? I got it for $3.50 + tax. I so much enjoy this little find...

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