Ancient British Locomotive on American Silver Napkin Ring c.1845

My first post, and I hope I am placing it in the correct spot. I offer these images of an American silver napkin ring that I am fairly confident in dating to the 1840's. The locomotive is distinctive, and the care with which it has been represented suggests to me that this was done from a real image, and is not an artistic representation. It appears to be generally speaking, a 'Jenny Lind' type. The 2-2-2 configuration was rare among American makers, apparently only a handful were made. It is known that the US imported perhaps 200 locomotives from the UK in the early years of steam history. I post this in the hope that a member can point to a specific model or manufacturer. Is it perhaps a Sharp Roberts, or maybe a Robert Stephens? The caps worn by several of the men are of the 'Model 1839 Forage Cap' variety in use in the United States from 1839 to the mid 1850's. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer

 

A couple of things jump out at me. One is the apparently stone bridge, which would be I think unusual for the very early railways in the USA. The other is that the design doesn't seem typical of US practice - because of generally lightweight p/way, US design very rapidly diverged from British design. Both of those things make me wonder whether it is not done directly from life, but perhaps is a copy of an illustration sent over in a brochure by a manufacturer illustrating what could be purchased; and then adapted to the napkin ring.

As for the type of locomotive, the other thing that jumps out is that while the details below the running plate are sketchy, they don't appear to show outside frames. So inside frames on the carrying wheels suggests an Edward Bury design. The preserved Great Southern and Western Railway 2-2-2 No. 36 is certainly not dissimilar, give or take a somewhat different boiler design.

Tom

 

A most interesting artefact Bill. I am sure more will be forthcoming here. One thing it is not, is the Stourbridge Lion!

 

Thanks Tom. The stone bridge is quite something; there's nothing like it in my part of the country (Tidewater). What of the signal equipment and the little man with the flag?

 

Both (disc signal and man with flag) would be typical of British practice from the time. I don't know enough of US practice to know what signalling was used there at the dawn of their railways.

Is there a hallmark on the silver? If so, that would help identify date and origin. My money is that it is either British and has been imported into the US; or else is American, but the engraver had a British scene from which to copy.

Tom

 

Tom, there were no obvious marks, which was no surprise, as a lot of American silver items from this period were unmarked, unlike British silver which is always faithfully and thoroughly marked. But I noticed this evening that there is a very small mark on the face, in one of the arches under the bridge, a '13'. The '13' mark is likely the German mark for '13 Loth silver', silver of 13/16 purity, or 813/1000. This was the common standard throughout Germany until about 1886. That would mean that the napkin ring, the bridge (and possibly the locomotive?) are German. Could the locomotive indeed be Boche?

 

It does look rather like 'der Adler'.

 

I think its a pretty safe bet the artist was working from a reference drawing or drawings, not from life. Engraving on silver is probably not something you do in the middle of a field. It also appears that the reference was pretty technically accurate for the time, and probably one reference, not a combination. That being the case though it does mean the reference could have come from pretty much anywhere. My limited understanding is that at the time international trade and communications was well established, even if a bit slower than now. A german locomotive forum might be an interesting thing to try...

 

A German Locomotive Forum would be the logical next step; danke schoen, I suppose.