Tankard, minature tankard

John Jackson, London, OP2557A, LTP282, was active from 1677 (see also miniature porringer by this maker A 871). Jackson was trading from ‘the Unicorn the Corner of Woodstreet, Cheapside’ in 1699 (Heal Collection – see below), but by 31 July 1733, (GL Sun Insurance policy 61502) he seems to have moved to new premises at the sign of the Golden Cock in Southwark. Very few tankards of this small size are known. They all have a ‘reverse taper’ to the body and many have sheet metal lids and bases (see below A26425 and detail above (fig. a) from a tankard in the collection of Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo (Acc. No. NF.1895-0678) with wriggle work decoration and an equally elaborate and slightly whimsical thumbpiece by Jonathan Ingles of London. The precise function of these vessel is unknown, It is possible that they were designed to be used by children (hence the wide secure foot) and it is perhaps significant that ‘toy flagon lids and a small porringer’ were discovered when John Jackson’s premises were searched in 1689 (GL MS 7106). Jackson’s trade card in the Heal Collection at the British Museum also points to his work as a pewterer making ‘all sorts of Toys for Children’. It is just possible that Jackson used a stylized ‘cockerell’ thumbpiece to reflect the name of his shop in Southwark, - the Golden Cockerell. It is also possible that these vessels were used for other purposes – perhaps as a condiment or alternatively for a small measure of spirits.