Antique Ice Pitchers and Water Sets
With ice a rarity and mechanical refrigeration yet to exist, ladies of the Victorian era were tasked with keeping water cooled for their guests. The answer, for those lucky enough to afford it, was the multi-wall silverplate ice pitcher. These multi-walled pitchers were designed to insulate and keep water cooled over longer periods of time. Early ice pitchers had metal, glass or porcelain liners. The liners on these early models had seams which caused corrosion and leaks. These designs were soon replaced with one-piece porcelain liners.
If you own a Victorian silverplate water pitcher or have had the pleasure of handling one, you know they are rather heavy. It is a chore to lift and pour when filled with liquid. This led to the design of the tilting water pitcher with stand (image at right). Matching tilting pitcher sets contained the stand, pitcher, goblets and slop bowl.
Some stands could accommodate any silverplate water pitcher such as indicated in this Reed & Barton advertisement (below). “…enables the person using to pour water from the Pitcher without being compelled to lift it, and which is so constructed that the base forms a tray, or salver, for holding the goblet and for catching the water that may condense and drip from outside of Pitcher.”
“This Tilting Stand (differing in this respect from all others), does not require the Pitcher to be made expressly for it, and is consequently adapted for any Pitcher now in use.”
Below is a matching silverplate water set which includes the pitcher, bowl, 2 goblets and tray. Many of these sets (as well as the tilting sets) had gold-lined goblets and bowls. Ice pitchers were commonly used as presentation pieces as awards and for commemorating events.
As ice became more plentiful, double and multi-wall pitchers were replaced by single wall pitchers. Antique silverplate multi-wall pitchers are still used today on buffets so that guests may serve themselves either cold or hot drinks.
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I have inherited several pieces of silver from my grandmother and among them is an antique ice pitcher, very much like this one. I have no idea of the value or anything about it’s history. I just found your article and am very happy about finding this. It has a Reed and Barton insignia on it with a patented date of Aug. 4th, 1888. Can you tell me if there is any market for this piece and what the value might be. My unit does not have a stand but does have the porcelain liner still intact. Thank you in advance for your help. Kitty Riggins
I have a 8″ silver ice pitcher…with the initials K S Tn or In…with a stamp that looks like a
jelly fish…can you please tell me the makers mark…Thank you
Hi
I have recently accquired a ice pitcher but sadly it hasnet go its innner lining. Aslo teh item has lost its sliver plating . The bottom is marked with Reed and Barton 1930. I can email teh picture if you like .
I have an antique ice pitcher that was given to me by my father. His mother had acquired it from her mother. On the bottom of the pitcher is a stamp marked “J.M. LYON & CO.”. I had found some old advertisements online from the early 1900′s, that J.M.LYON & CO was a catalog distributor out of new york city. I am curious if anyone has any information on this company and its catalogs. i would like to find a date to this pitcher and the catalog featuring it. Thank You.