Of fine quality and exceptionally heavy (4.6 oz.) for its size,
the small round tumbler cup raised from a single sheet
and well weighted at the base,
the side engraved with crest for the family of Turner :
A lion passant gules holding in its dexter forepaw a laurel branch vert.
fully marked to the base

Condition : Excellent; marks and engraving crisp

"Tumblers"date from the mid-17th century.
These early small "drinking cups" were first popular at colleges,
and meant to be emptied in a single draught.
They were designed so that the heavier rounded base would
allow the cup to right itself when knocked – thus the name "tumbler'.

Samuel Strahan (1780-1854), son of watch maker John Strahan,

entered marks at Goldsmiths Hall as a watchcase maker from 12 Great Prescot Street,

Goodmans Fields in 1805; from 1 Little Mitchell Street, St Luke's in 1808;

notifying changes of address to 54 Lemon Street, Goodmans Fields in 1811 and to 36 White's Row,

Spitalfields in 1811 (from where he entered another mark in 1834).

He apparently worked as a watchcase maker and journeyman throughout his life (d.1854).

This is a finely made tumbler, and possibly made by special request.

2-1/8" High, 2-5/8" Diameter / 4.6 oz.
 

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#7599

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Back Side

THE CREST OF THE FAMILY OF TURNER

The crest as engraved upon this George III English Sterling Silver Tumbler Cup
by Samuel Strahan hallmarked London 1807
is that of the family of Turner. It may be blazoned as follows:

Crest: A lion passant gules holding in its dexter forepaw a laurel branch vert

This crest along with its associated arms¹ was recorded along with a four-generation pedigree
for the family of Turner, of Thorverton in the Heralds' Visitation of the County of Devon
which took place in the year 1620.²
This visitation entry was signed in the original volume by Humfry (Humphrey) Turner.
The pedigree notes that Humfry was forty-six years old aged at the time of the visitation
which would mean that he was born around the year 1574.

It is interesting to note that another authority states that these arms and crest also pertain
to the Turners, of Wareham (sic)³ and (Great) Yarmouth in the County of Norfolk.
Whether any genealogical connection exists between the Devonian
and Norfolk Turners is not known.
Given that Devon and Norfolk are two great maritime counties,
one in England's West Country and the other in East Anglia,
perhaps one or more of the Turners left Devon by sea and settled in Norfolk?
Of course, at the present distance in time we cannot be at all sure.

As Humfry is recorded in the 1620 visitation as having two sons without any evidence to the contrary,

perhaps, this tumbler cup was in the possession of one of their descendants?

¹ Arms: Sable a chevron ermine between three mill rinds or on a chief argent a lion passant gules.

² The Visitation of the County of Devon in the year 1620 by Sir Henry St George, Richmond Herald of Arms

(later Garter King of Arms) and Sampson Lennard, Bluemantle Pursuivant of Arms under the direction of William Camden,

Clarenceux King of Arms as his Deputies.

³ Which is probably should be spelt as 'Warham'.

Heraldry by John Tunesi of Liongam

MSc, FSA Scot, Hon FHS, QG

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George III Cut Glass Sugar-Loaf Decanter, England, c1770 

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