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On display

Easi-Nest

Sugar Basin
1946 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This compact teaset is made up of a teapot, hot water jug, sugar bowl and milk jug. Every aspect of the design of this service has been very carefully thought through. Each piece of the service stacks neatly one on top of the other so that it can be stored as one piece in the restricted space of a commercial hotel pantry. Furthermore, the lids swing back 180 degrees allowing the pots to drain easily when stored on drying racks.

Cyril Shiner (1908-89) was a major British silversmith and industrial designer of the mid-twentieth century. He also enjoyed an excellent reputation as gifted teacher and craftsman.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleEasi-Nest (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Electroplated nickel silver
Brief description
Hotel sugar basin in electroplate for Slade & Dolphin Ltd. Birmingham. Designed by Cyril Shiner, 1946.
Physical description
This sugar basin is one component of a stacking service (along with M.30-2001, M.31-2001 & M.33-2001). Electroplated nickel silver, the body is a plain cylinder resting on a foot which is a plain, circular rim, the base of the body slopes downwards towards the centre. The foot rim fits snugly into the upper rim of the hot water jug when stacked.
The upper rim is a narrow, inverted flange which supports the milk jug when stacked. The handles, ‘D’ shaped in profile with a flat top are of metal strip and soldered in diametrically opposite positions to the side wall of the body.
Dimensions
  • Width: 9.50cm
  • Height: 6.50cm
  • Length: 15.00cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
EASI-NEST MADE IN ENGLAND A.1. E.P.N.S / PRO. PAT. / No. 3948 / REGD DESIGN / 853938 (Patent registration for style of applied decoration; English; In the centre on the underside of the base.)
Gallery label
(26/11/2003)
HOTEL TEASET Easi-Nest
Electroplated nickel silver
Birmingham, 1946
Designed by Cyril Shiner
Made by Slade and Dolphin Ltd

This compact teaset is made up of a teapot, hot water jug, sugar bowl and milk jug. Every aspect of the design of this service has been very carefully thought through. Each piece of the service stacks neatly one on top of the other so that it can be stored compactly as one piece in the restricted space of a commercial hotel pantry. Furthermore, the lids swing back 180 degrees allowing the pots to drain easily when stored on drying racks.
Cyril Shiner (1908-89) was a major British silversmith and industrial designer of the mid-twentieth century. He also enjoyed an excellent reputation as gifted teacher and craftsman.

M.30-33-2001
(14.12.23)
Easinest Hotel Tea Set
Electroplated nickel silver
Designed by Cyril Shiner and made by Slade and Dolphin Ltd
Birmingham, 1946
Purchased with assistance from the James Yorke-Radleigh Bequest Fund
Museum no. M.30-33-2001

The silversmith, Cyril Shiner, created this innovative tea set for the Birmingham metalworkers, Slade and Dolphin, just after the second World War. The design has been carefully thought through. The teapot, hot water jug, sugar bowl and milk jug stack neatly on top of each other so that it can be stored efficiently in a hotel kitchen. The lids swing 180 degrees to allow the pots to drain easily when drying.
Easinest Hotel Tea Set
Electroplated nickel silver
Designed by Cyril Shiner and made by Slade and Dolphin Ltd
Birmingham, 1946
Museum no. M.30-33-2001

The silversmith, Cyril Shiner, created this innovative tea set for the Birmingham metalworkers, Slade and Dolphin, just after the second World War. The design has been carefully thought through. The teapot, hot water jug, sugar bowl and milk jug stack neatly on top of each other so that it can be stored efficiently in a hotel kitchen. The lids swing 180 degrees to allow the pots to drain easily when drying.
(26/11/2002)
HOTEL TEASET Easi-Nest
Electroplated nickel silver
Birmingham, 1946
Designed by Cyril Shiner
Made by Slade and Dolphin Ltd

This compact tea set is made up of a teapot, hot water jug, sugar bowl and milk jug. Every aspect of the design of this service has been very carefully thought through. Each piece of the service stacks neatly one on top of the other so that it can be stored compactly as one piece in the restricted space of a commercial hotel pantry. Furthermore, the lids swing back 180 degrees allowing the pots to drain easily when stored on drying racks.

Cyril Shiner (1908-89) was a major British silversmith and industrial designer of the mid-twentieth century. He also enjoyed an excellent reputation as gifted teacher and craftsman.

M.30-33-2001
Credit line
Purchased with assistance from the Yorke-Radleigh Trust Fund
Object history
This service was designed by Cyril Shiner for Slade and Dolphin and was later used by Saunders & Co Ltd. The price paid was for the complete service.
Production
Reason For Production: Retail
Summary
This compact teaset is made up of a teapot, hot water jug, sugar bowl and milk jug. Every aspect of the design of this service has been very carefully thought through. Each piece of the service stacks neatly one on top of the other so that it can be stored as one piece in the restricted space of a commercial hotel pantry. Furthermore, the lids swing back 180 degrees allowing the pots to drain easily when stored on drying racks.

Cyril Shiner (1908-89) was a major British silversmith and industrial designer of the mid-twentieth century. He also enjoyed an excellent reputation as gifted teacher and craftsman.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Designers in Britain A Biennial Review of Graphic and Industrial Design Compiled by the Society of Industrial Artists, Volume Two, London, Alan Wingate. 1949 p.48 ill. pl.1
  • Reconstruction Designers in Britain 1940-51, London, The Target Gallery, 2001 No.18
  • Kenneth Crisp Jones ed. The Silversmiths of Birmingham and Their Marks 1750-1980. London, NAG Press Ltd., 1981, p. 254 ill. ISBN 719800021
Collection
Accession number
M.32-2001

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Record createdSeptember 20, 2001
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