A perennially popular sterling silver item, mugs and tankards are both an ideal gift and a real treat to use. Historically a status symbol in well-to-do houses, the tankard would be one of the most important items in what was known as ‘the plate cupboard’. Children were often gifted with a miniature version when they were Christened, and these little cups remain a popular Christening gift today. Sizes are usually for a pint, a half pint, or a third of a pint for a child’s cup.
Tankards and mugs fall into three main styles regarding shape: the straight-sided, the curvy baluster shape, and lidded, which is technically the difference between a tankard and a mug. In addition there are variations like ‘glass bottomed’. Lidded takards are generally larger in size, ‘child’s cups’ are more fun and typically half pint sized.
