Beakers have been known for thousands of years. They are generally characterised by being a flat based vessel without a handle as in a mug or a tankard or a stem as in a goblet.
Silver beakers are first known from the Tudor period with the oldest one known dating from 1496 now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The earliest beakers to appear on the market tend to be of seventeenth century origin (although at the present time we have the earliest English example in the world for sale from 1589).
The early seventeenth century beakers tend to be quite tall and almost vase like in appearance but by the middle part of the seventeenth century become lower in height and slightly straighter in the side.
Beakers remain uncommon as the mug and tankard certainly in the 1690’s right up to the early 1760’s remains more commonly encountered.
The beaker in fact was always more popular throughout the years on the continent than it was in England. They were almost always made in singles and occasionally pairs and are sometimes made to fit together (These are known as ‘Hob Nob’ beakers and are normally formed like coopered barrels).
At William Walter Antiques you will find a fine selection of beakers for sale from the Elizabethan period right up to the present day including a selection of continental examples.
