Antique Victorian Silver Plated Wine Coaster Trolley Circa 1850
Length 17" long
in fine condition for its age...................
unmarked.
Could use some polishing
Formed as two circular coasters with gadrooned rims, inset mahogany bases, mounted on a four-wheel chassis,
the seven spoke wheels with rosette centres. The Old Sheffield Plate pulling handle, leaded, of shell and
acanthus scroll. Unmarked.
According to Bradbury the trolley was invented in the early 1820s by Sir Edward Thomason,
acting upon information received from Lord Rolle who had dined with King George IV. The King, apparently,
"regretted that his noble guests who sat on either side of him were constrained to rise from their seats
to pass the wine" and said to Lord Rolle "As you have said that you are going to Birmingham tomorrow,
you had better call upon Thomason who may invent some plan to obviate this inconvenience".
Thomason had the idea to mount two coasters on wheels and sent two silver-gilt trolleys to the King,
who appreciated the solution. Possibly this is only an anecdote, anyway all Sheffield plate double wine
trolleys available on the antiquarian market dates certainly after 1820.