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 1. Diagram of an 1808 beer engine, from "Pantologia - A New Cyclopedia". Click on this page for more details. |  2. Two-motion "cash-register" beer engine by J. Warner & Sons, in a mahogany cabinet with ivory-topped ebony handles, c.1850. Click on this page for more details. |  3. Three-motion "cash-register" beer engine in a mahogany cabinet with china handles and chrome-plated brass taps. From The Eagle, Skerne. Click on this page for more details. |
 4. A Belgian 3-motion "cash-register" design beer engine with turned ebony and ivory-banded handles. Sold at auction in 2009. |  5. Fine example of a mahogany-cased 4-motion "cash-register" design beer engine with blue porcelain handles, c.1840. Sold by an antiques dealership in 2011. |  6. A mahogany-cased 4-motion "cash-register" design beer engine with solid bronze handles. Sold on eBay in 2014. |
 7. Brass pillar counter pump by J. Warner & Sons with a white transluscent glass handle. The spout is fashioned in the shape of a swan's head & neck. Probably mid to late 19th century. Lacks the tap stop-cock found on later examples (see right & below). |  8. Close-up of the maker's stamp and Royal coat-of-arms on the reverse of the pump, left, which suggests that Warner's had been granted the Royal Warrant to supply its wares. They also manufactured water pumps, hydraulic machinery, and cast church bells - including the original 16 ton bell commissioned for the Westminster Tower clock in 1856, which unfortunately cracked irreparably whilst under test in the Palace Yard at Westminster. The replacement Big Ben was cast by the Whitechapel Foundry using metal melted down from the original, and weighs 13.5 tons. |  9. A late 19th century brass pillar counter pump with a white porcelain handle. The only identifying mark is an open hand with a star on the palm stamped on the tap-screw, which suggests it is by Gaskell & Chambers. An almost identical design appeared in W. R. Loftus's 1893 catalogue, priced at £2:15s, and in the 1899 catalogue of T. Heath. That equates to £452 today. |
 10. A late 19th century brass pillar counter pump with a turned wood handle by Platow & Co, 55-56 High Holborn London. |  11. Another view of 10. |  12. Close-up of the maker's plaque on 10. I can find no information relating to this company. |
 13. A late 19th century brass pillar counter pump with a white porcelain handle standing on a wood plinth which has been adapted presumably to facilitate off-licence sales. The tap has been removed and a pipe connected in its place to direct the outflow into a graduated glass measuring receptacle, from which the exact amount of ale required could then be dispensed by gravity via the bottom tap into the customer's own bottle or jug. The name "R F Dale, Bear lane, Southwark" is engraved into the pump base and glass receptacle, the latter also having "VR" etched into the glass. The name is presumably that of the person who carried out the modification. The pump itself was possibly manufactured by Gaskell & Chambers, similar to nos.7 & 9 above. It stands at just over 3 feet tall. |  14. Reverse view of 13. |  15. Close-up of the graduated glass receptacle on 13. |
 16. Chrome plated brass counter pump with a turned wood handle by Gaskell & Chambers, c.1900. |  17. Homark clamp-on beer engine, 1950s/60s. The slimline "modern" shape porcelain handle is decorated in a typical 1950s swirl pattern in yellow, white and black on a green background with thin vertical white lines. Excepting the brass spout and shut-off tap, now replaced by the stainless steel "swan-neck", clamp-on beer engines of this design remain in common use today. |  18. Chrome plated brass clamp-on Dalex cask pump by Gaskell & Chambers. This model was produced throughout the 1950s, 60s and into the late 70s, primarily as a semi-permanent form of beer dispense. It was effectively superseded by the "clamp-on" under counter style of beer engine. |
 19. Hudson, Dodsworth & Associates Ltd half pint measure dispenser with horizontally mounted glass cylinder, 1967. Operates via top pressure. |  20. Mills "Spheromatic" half-pint measure dispenser dating from 1969. Operates via top pressure. |  21. Coldflow "Spheromatic" half-pint measure dispenser from 1976. Similar to the Mills version, left, but with cube-shaped rather than cylindrical clear acrylic. Both have the same distinctive concentric ring design on the inner chamber, inside which is a rubber diaphragm that moves alternately one way, then the other, via top pressure as the tap is opened to deliver a measured half-pint. |
 22. A "Bass In Bottle" advertising mirror by O. C. Hawkes Ltd, Birmingham. "Property of Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton Ltd" etched along the bottom. Bears the royal coat of arms and "By Appointment". Dates from around the 1920s. These mirrors were produced in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and message variants (Bass In Bottle, Bass On Draught, Bass Pale Ale, etc). This one measures 44cm x 34cm. The distinctive Bass Red Triangle logo was the first trademark to be registered under the UK's Trade Mark Registration Act 1875, as trade mark number 1 for their Pale Ales. |  23. A "Bass No.1 Barley Wine in Baby bottles" advertising mirror, also by O. C. Hawkes Ltd, Birmingham. "Property of Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton Ltd" etched along the bottom. Measures 34cm x 29cm. Dates from around 1903 -1920s. Bass No.1 was the first beer commercially designated as a barley wine. It was launched in 1903, and was brewed to 10.5% ABV. The Bass Red Diamond logo featured on this mirror was registered as trade mark number 2 for their strong ales. |  24. A Victorian costrel. It holds about 4 pints and would have contained ale or cider. They were used by farm labourers working in the fields. This is the only one I have seen that is signed and dated; it has the initials WV EPM and the year 1893 carved into the top. |
 25. Victorian pub clock advertising "Waltham's Beer On Draught". The Waltham Brothers Brewery operated from 1851 to 1908 in Stockwell, London, having just 4 tied houses. The clock has a US Seth Thomas 8-day movement; the trademark design stamped on the backplate dates it to the 1880s. The black mark on the dial above the VI appears to be a deliberate feature of the advertising intended to suggest a tongue licking its lips in appreciation of the product. |  26. Art Deco style marble mantel clock with a bakelite back, probably by Smith's, advertising Allsopp's beer - "Say Allsopp (picture of bottled IPA) and have the best". It dates from no later than June 1934, when Samuel Allsopp & Sons merged with Ind, Coope & Co Ltd to form Ind, Coope & Allsopp Ltd. |  27. Advertising lithograph for Ind, Coope & Co's Burton Ale, showing Britannia with shield and trident. This trademark was registered to the company on 4 March 1876. |
 28. Tin-plate advertising mirror for Reid's Family Stout. An acid-etched inscription on the glass reads "Supplied by Marine Wine Vaults (next Marine Hotel)". I believe that refers to a location in Lowestoft, Suffolk. The mirror dates from between 1888 and July 1898, when Reid's merged with Watney & Co Ltd and Combe & Co Ltd to form Watney, Combe, Reid & Co Ltd. |  29. Early pump clip advertising Union Beer. Blue enamel on silver-plated metal. An inscription around the edge reads "This food contains not more than 3/8 of a grain of salicylic acid to the pint". This declared that the product met the recommendations of a report published in 1901 by a Government Departmental Committee on the use of preservatives in foodstuffs. |  30. Vintage copper pump clip advertising Bass Pale Ale. May possibly have been enamelled originally. |
 31. Vintage enamel on brass pump clip advertising "Ansell's 6D Per Pint" bitter. Manufactured by W. O. Lewis (Badges) Ltd Birmingham. According to the Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, a pint of Ansell's bitter (OG 1047, ABV 4.85%) cost 6d in 1935, so the clip could possibly date from around that time. |  32. Vintage enamel on brass pump clip advertising "This Is Ansell's Bitter". From the design, the clip probably dates from around the same time as the 6d Per Pint clip. |  33. Vintage enamel on brass pump clip advertising Tolly draught beers. No maker's mark. Probably 1950s-60s. |
 34. Vintage enamel on brass Moors' & Robsons' Mild pump clip. No maker's mark. Probably dates from the 1950s. The brewery was closed in 1960. |  35. Vintage enamel on brass pump clip advertising Mitchells & Butlers Mild. No maker's mark. Probably dates from the 1950s. |  36. Vintage enamel on brass pump clip advertising Bass Best Mild. Note the red diamond logo, which was the trademark registered for their dark ales, rather than the better-known red triangle that was registered for their pale ales. No maker's mark. Probably 1950s-60s. |
 37. Wadworth 6X metal pump clip. No maker's mark. |  38. Wadworth IPA metal pump clip. No maker's mark. |  39. Vintage enamel on brass John Smith's Magnet Ales pump clip. Manufactured by Fattorini & Sons Bradford Works Birmingham. One of a pair. Same back fixing as no. 28. The Dalex red cylindical-shafted beer-pump handle to which this was attached bears the date stamp 1957. It is probable that this dates from the same year. |
 40. Vintage red enamel on brass pump clip advertising Flowers B B Luton Brewed. No maker's mark. Probably 1950s-60s. |  41. Vintage dark blue enamel on brass pump clip advertising Flowers I.P.A. bitter. No maker's mark. Probably 1950s-60s. |  42. Vintage black enamel on brass pump clip advertising, simply, Flowers. No maker's mark. Probably 1950s-60s. |
 43. Melbourne "The Best Bitter" enamel on brass pump clip. Not to be confused with the Australian beer of the same name, this was a Leeds brewery that registered under this name in December 1957 (previously known as the Leeds & Wakefield Breweries Ltd). It was acquired by Tetley & Sons Ltd in 1960, and brewing ceased. No maker's mark. |  44. Vintage enamel on brass pump clip advertising William Younger's Bitter. No maker's mark, but given the similarity to 44 probably manufactured by W. O. Lewis (Badges) Ltd Birmingham. Probably 1950s-60s. |  45. Vintage enamel on brass pump clip advertising William Younger's No. 3, otherwise known as their Scotch Ale. Manufactured by W. O. Lewis (Badges) Ltd Birmingham. Probably 1950s-60s. |
 46. Butler's All Malt Stout bar bell. It is not clear whether the Butler's in question refers to Butler's Crown Brewery Ltd which merged with Henry Mitchell & Co Ltd in 1898 to form Mitchells & Butlers Ltd, or to William Butler & Co's Springfield brewery which was registered in 1891 and acquired by Mitchells & Butlers Ltd in 1960. |  47. Humorous Victorian postcard showing a cat and dog toasting each other at dinner with a glass of beer, bearing the caption "Beer, Beer, Glorious Beer". |  48. Seltzogene, or Gasogene. It dates from the 1880s - 1890s, and was the precursor of the modern soda-syphon. Many were French, but this one is engraved "Boots, Cash Chemists" around the collar. Click here to see a sales brochure of the time describing the Seltzogene and its operation in detail. |
 49. Georgian pint and matching half pint heavy glass tankards with hand-cut mid waist panels, and etched flowers & fern leaf decoration, c.1820. |  50. Bass water jug made by William Brownfield of Burslem, Stoke-On-Trent. The base is stamped "BROWNFIELD", "BASS", "5/77" and "24", which dates it to May 1877. Manufactured from brown earthenware, it holds 1 pint and is decorated with a bizarre assortment of swimming barrels, drunken bottles and similar scenes. Indeed the face on the barrel could well have been the inspiration for "Thomas The Tank Engine"! |  51. A larger, quart, version of the Brownfield Bass jug. This one has no date or maker's stamp, just "BASS" and "12" on the base. |
 52. Glass 1 pint advertising water jug with the message "Ask for a bottle of Bass" and the trademark red triangle applied on to the glass in raised white & red enamel. |  53. A one-third scale 19th Century travelling salesman's patent sample beer engine by J. Corney of Halifax. Click on this page for more details about this fascinating piece. |  54. A Sampson Smith Landlord "Home Brewed Ale" Toby jug, c1880, 11.25" (28.5cm) tall. |
 55. A Victorian bar counter lighter in the form of William Gladstone. The hat hinges open, revealing a hollow body containing a coil wick which would be immersed in oil. This threads through the hollow pipe in his mouth and was lit to provide a flame for customers to light their cigars or pipes. 11.5cms tall. |  56. A Victorian bar counter lighter in the form of a smoking gentleman. Inscription on the base reads "A BRIGHT LIGHT". Similar in design to No 54 above, but with the wooden base stands slightly taller at 15cms. Photo courtesy of Paul Watson Antiques. |  57. Advertising vesta holder and match-striker for Higgins & Sons Ltd, Castle Brewery, Bedford. Founded 1837. Registered 1902. Acquired by Wells & Winch Ltd in 1928 with 55 public houses. |
 58. Victorian brass bar counter water tap. 10.5" (27cm) tall. Almost certainly of Scottish origin. These were provided for the benefit of customers wishing to add water to their dram of whisky. Some examples still survive today in a few bars in Scotland. |  59. Small/medium sized spirit barrel, 10.5" tall. Flattened oval profile. Cranberry red background with white banding, gilded at the edges. Raised enamel dots around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. |  60. Small/medium sized spirit barrel, 10.5" tall. Flattened oval profile. Pale turquoise background with white banding, gilded at the edges. Raised enamel dots around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. |
 61. Small/medium sized spirit barrel, 10.5" tall. Flattened oval profile. Cranberry red background with white banding. Yellow rococo and floral decoration around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. |  62. A china casket-shaped spirit barrel with hand-painted kingfisher flying over a lake. This same scene is featured on the one of my beer-pump handles (see this page, nos 22 & 23). A similar type of casket spirit barrel is listed in W. R. Loftus' Trade Almanack of 1893. It was available in either 1 or 2 gallon sizes, priced from 27/- to 33/6d for the former, and 29/6 to 36/6d for the latter, depending on the decoration selected. Standing at 12" tall, this is a 2 gallon example. The more conventionally-shaped barrels, such as the others shown here, are also listed in Loftus' catalogue. |  63. Medium sized spirit barrel, 12" tall. Round profile. Lilac background with white banding, gilded at the edges. Turquoise rococo and floral design around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. |
 64. Medium sized spirit barrel, 12" tall. Round profile. Lilac background with white banding, gilded at the edges. Turquoise rococo and floral design around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. |  65. Large sized spirit barrel, 13.5" tall. Flattened oval profile. Cranberry red background with white banding, gilded around the edges. Yellow rococo and floral decoration around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. |  66. Large sized spirit barrel, 12.5" tall. Flattened oval profile. White background with gilded banding. Central panel depicts a colour transfer-printed rustic farmyard scene. Spirit name is hand-gilded in the top band. |
 67. Large sized spirit barrel, 12.5" tall. Flattened oval profile. Pale blue background with gilded banding (now virtually all worn away). Central panel depicts a transfer-printed and hand over-coloured semi-tropical scene featuring a stork standing amidst exotic vegetation. Spirit name is hand-gilded in the top band. |  68. Large sized spirit barrel by Lumley & Co. 12.5" tall. Round profile. Royal blue background with yellow banding, gilded in the centre and at the edges. Pink rococo and floral design around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. Fitted with a very unusual early horizontally-mounted optic with a side tap which could be used to bypass the standard optic measure. Stamped "The Optic", Chambers Patent (no mention of Gaskell). |  69. Large sized spirit barrel by Lumley & Co. 12.5" tall. Round profile. Green background with yellow banding, gilded in the centre and at the edges. Pink rococo and floral design around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name. |
 70. Medium sized spirit barrel by Hollinshead & Kirkham of Tunstall, dating from circa 1880. The pattern name is Swan. 11" tall. Flattened oval profile. Decorated with a hand-coloured transfer print of a swan with a duck on a lily pond on a white background within gilt borders of vines. Spirit name (Brandy) is hand-gilded in the top band. |  71. Medium sized spirit barrel by Hollinshead & Kirkham of Tunstall, dating from circa 1880. The pattern name is Swan. 11" tall. Flattened oval profile. Decorated with a hand-coloured transfer print of a swan with a duck on a lily pond on a white background within gilt borders of vines. Same pattern as no. 70 but with different colouring. Cordial name (Strawberry) is hand-gilded in the top band. |  72. Medium-sized spirit half-barrel 12" (30cm) tall. Oval profile with a flat back. Designed for wall-mounting via two ceramic fixing holes on the top. White background with blue banding top and bottom, and several gilt bands around the centre. The central panel contains hand-painted floral decoration, and is hand-gilded with the contents' name, in this case S (Scotch) Whisky. |
 73. Small spirit barrel 7.5" (19cm) tall. Flattened oval profile. White background with blue banding top and bottom, and several gilt bands around the centre. The central panel contains hand-painted floral decoration similar to that of the larger barrel, left. Hand-gilded with the contents' name, in this case Brandy. |  74. Small spirit barrel 7.5" (19.5cm) tall. Flattened oval profile. White background with blue banding top and bottom, and several gilt bands around the centre. The central panel contains hand-painted floral decoration, and is hand-gilded with the contents' name, in this case Gingerette (a ginger cordial). |  75. Small spirit barrel 7.25" (18cm) tall. Round profile. Cranberry red background with white banding, gilded around the edges. Yellow rococo and floral decoration around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the contents' name, in this case Sherry. |
 76. Another small spirit barrel. This one is 8" tall with a flattened oval profile. Turquoise green banding with yellow rococo and floral decoration around the central panel. The "name" box is blank. It does not appear ever to have been gilded with the name of its intended contents. |  77. Small spirit barrel 7.5" (19cm) tall. Round profile. White background with blue banding and 4 gilt bands at the top & bottom. Hand-painted decoration depicting grapes on a vine, with the name of the contents, in this case Brandy, hand-gilded beneath. |  78. Small spirit barrel 7.5" (19cm) tall. The white background is divided into six segments for Shrub, Mint, Port, Whisky, Rum & Gin. Each segment is individually decorated. Very unusual for a spirit barrel to be labelled with a multiplicity of possible contents, and no doubt very confusing for the barman! |
 79. Right-hand side/rear view of 76, showing segments for Shrub, Mint & Port. Shrub was an alcoholic cordial made from oranges/lemons, sugar and brandy; often used as a mixer with rum. |  80. Left-hand side/rear view of 76, showing segments for Whisky, Rum & Gin. |  81. Medium-sized spirit barrel 10.5" (27cm) tall. Flattened oval profile. White background with gilt banding top and bottom. The central panel contains a transfer-printed woodland scene depicting a stag, and is hand-gilded with the contents' name, in this case Gr (Ginger) WINE. |
 82. Medium-sized spirit barrel 11" (28cm) tall. Flattened oval profile. Pale turquoise background with white banding, gilded around the edges. Yellow rococo and floral decoration around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name (GIN). |  83. Medium-sized spirit barrel 11" (28cm) tall. Flattened oval profile. Pale turquoise background with white banding, gilded around the edges. Yellow rococo and floral decoration around the central panel, which is hand-gilded with the spirit name (RUM). |  84. A rotary Eclipse bar-mounted corkscrew. Patented by F. Marwood on 26 March 1887, this is considered to be the most elegant of corkscrews. Turning the handle clockwise pushes the worm down through the brass collar into the cork. Turning it anti-clockwise then retracts the cork. |
 85. Reverse view of 82. This model is listed in Loftus's Trade Almanack of 1893, priced at 50/- (£2.50 in decimal currency), which equates to £411 today. |  86. View of the maker's plaque showing the serial number 7825. This example has a steel crank, three steel round-headed screws securing the circular plates, and a turned lignum vitae wooden handle. Some are fitted with a bronze crank and brass screws, with a turned ebony handle. |  87. Copper "slipper/boot" and conical form ale mullers. These would be filled with ale, then placed in the hot coals of a fire to warm it. This site describes the history of ale mullers and how they were used in more detail. |
 88. John Joule & Sons advertisement for their Stone Ale, 1930. Joules was noted for the imaginative, if not bizarre and occasionally surreal nature of their advertisements. These included cavemen drinking ale from horn beakers and playing cards. The one above depicts a caveman running for his life after shooting an arrow into a mammoth and making for a cave (which just happens to be a Joules pub). Other advertisements depict historical events such as Dick Turpin's ride to York, Stephenson's Rocket, etc, and recording how many years before these that "the house of Joules had been brewing" (info courtesy of an article by Philip Leason, for the Stone & Eccleshall Gazette, in 2013). |  89. Diorama of a rustic public house bar. Mainly wooden construction, probably home-made, possibly dating from the 1920/30s. Measures 13.5" x 8.75" x 3.25". |  90. Victorian oak glazed perpetual desk calendar advertising B & T (Bailey & Tebbutt) Panton Brewery Gold Medal Ales Cambridge. The Panton Brewery was founded in 1869, acquired by B. W. Beales in 1889 and became Bailey & Tebbutt in 1897. Acquired by Greene King & Sons 1925, brewing ceased 1957 and the brewery was demolished in 1969. Measures 9" x 7" x 2.5". |
 91. Victorian pub mirror advertising Bass & Co's Pale Ale In Bottle from Sydney F. Mackway's Star Brand. Measures 57cm x 39cm. Presumably similar mirrors would also have been commissioned for the other beers they bottled, which included Allsopp's, Charrington's, Ind Coope's and Guinness, although I have never seen another example. |  92. This photograph has, remarkably, captured the very same mirror as it was over half a century earlier, in situ. Photographed in the Grade II-listed The Warwick Castle, Maida Vale, in the 1960s by Peter Juerges, it is reproduced here from his website Art Adventure with his kind permission. The photograph was published in Brian Spiller's book "Victorian Public Houses" (1972, p.71). |  93. Victorian brewery mirror advertising Robin, McMillan & Co's India Pale Ale, 4ft x 2ft. Manufactured by R. Allan for Edinburgh United Breweries Ltd, which was registered in 1889 to take over 4 Edinburgh breweries, including Robin, McMillan & Co's Summer Hall brewery. The brewery was closed in 1911. |
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