comprising: circa 1800, tankard centered with arms of Snodgrass, having gilt shield, two black stripes, center with three green trefoils, flanked by iron red crescent, crest half gilt and half green lion's head with green and gilt trefoils, and iron red crown, all above motto "Beata petamus arva", applied double handle, blue diaper and gilt border at rim, 4-7/8 in.; circa 1760, tankard centered with crest of Wicksted or Hodge, green and yellow wheat sheaf, entwined by two serpents, above a partial gilt helmet and heart form cartouche with central cypher, either "E.W." or "E.H.", opposing side with basket issuing flowers, gilt and iron red border, 4 in.

Note: Snodgrass: "These arms were granted to Thomas Snodgrass in the service of the East India Company, of Madras and Blackheath in Kent. Thomas Snodgrass rose to the post of Collector at Ganjam in eastern India, but was dismissed for poor conduct and mis-appropriation of funds in 1804. When he applied for a pension in London this was denied by the East India Company unless he could clear his name. To the Company’s great embarrassment, and poorly dressed as a road-sweeper, Snodgrass took the menial job of cleaning the street outside their offices at India House in the City of London. The sight of a Company servant apparently reduced to poverty gained great public support and the East India Company were forced to reinstate his pension, paying this until his death in 1834."

Chinese Armorial Porcelain Volume I, David S. Howard, Faber & Faber, 31 May 1974, p. 727, with further information added by Angela Howard.

Wicksted or Hodge: "Of the Wicksted family living at Nantwich in Cheshire was Richard Wicksted, born in 1543. His descendant, Thomas of Nantwich, was killed by a fall from his horse in 1707 leaving a posthumous son, Thomas, who married Grissel Fletcher (great-granddaughter of Sir John Egerton, BArt..) and had four sons and four daughters. His date of death is not recorded but his eldest son, Thomas, inherited various Fletcher estates and died unmarried in 1814. (The only member of his family with initial E was his sister, Elizabeth, who married Simon Horner of Hull.) It is possible that this was for Edward Wicksted, a watchmaker of Bunhill Row, London, from 1768 to 1790 (a record of 1790 describing him as 'watch maker for exportation') although his arms are not recorded.

Of the Hodge family of Scotland and Sunderland in Durham, who bore this crest, there appears to be no published record."

Illustrated in: Chinese Armorial Porcelain Volume II, David S. Howard, Heirloom & Howard, Ltd., Wiltshire, UK, 2003, p. 296.

Provenance: Snodgrass tankard Heirloom & Howard, Ltd., UK, December 2002; Christopher M. Weld, Essex, Massachusetts

Snodgrass: spotting, discoloration, scratching, anomalies (as made), repaired hairline crack, approximately 3 in., loss to gilt border, wear to paint, label to base, black light fluoresces indicating breaks and repairs at handle, hairline crack and in-painting to rim; Wicksted or Hodge: scratching, discoloration, spotting, anomalies (as made), minor wear to paint and gilt decoration, label to base, black light fluoresces reveals heavy in-painting to rim, hairline crack approx. 4 in. and hairline crack approx. 2-1/4 in., break and repair to handle  

crack at back consolidated