Presentation Trowel thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 67, The Whiteley Galleries

Presentation Trowel

1847-1848 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Chappel Viaduct (modern spelling), near Colchester, was built between 1847 and 1849 to carry the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway from Marks Tey to Sudbury. Built 80 feet high with 32 arches and 7 million locally made bricks, the viaduct is now a designated European monument.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver with wooden handle
Brief description
Ceremonial trowel, silver-plated with oak handle, Chapple Viaduct, 1847.
Physical description
Wooden handle: Carved in shape of leaves and acorns. On front at centre, metal plaque with illustration of pheasant. Base of handle: metal crown with leaf decoration. Base of blade: Metal attachment to wooden handle decorated with two flowers and leaves.
Dimensions
  • Height: 6cm
  • Length: 37cm
  • Width: 10.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
(Maker, E&Co, duty, sterling, anchor, date Y~Front of blade: At tip, illustration of passenger train, below which is inscribed ‘ T S S’. At centre, illustration of train crossing a bridge over valley, inscribed underneath ‘CHAPPLE VIADUCT’, and bordered with floral decoration.~Reverse of blade: Inscribed ‘Presented TO Thomas L’Estrange Ewen. Esqre. CHAIRMAN OF THE COMPANY on the occasion of laying the first stone of the CHAPPLE VIADUCT Sepr. 14th 1847.’)
Credit line
On Loan from the Science Museum Group
Object history
National Railway Museum Loan
'The Rail Road Book of England' vol I. E.Churton, 1851. Thomas L'Estrange mentioned as contact for The Rookery, Ardleigh station.
Wooden handle: Carved in shape of leaves and acorns. On front at centre, metal plaque with illustration of pheasant.
Base of handle: metal crown with leaf decoration
Base of blade: Metal attachment to wooden handle decorated with 2 flowers and leaves.
The Chappel Viaduct (modern spelling), near Colchester, was built between 1847 and 1849 to carry the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway from Marks Tey to Sudbury. Built 80 feet high with 32 arches and 7 million locally made bricks, the viaduct is a designated European monument.
Summary
The Chappel Viaduct (modern spelling), near Colchester, was built between 1847 and 1849 to carry the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway from Marks Tey to Sudbury. Built 80 feet high with 32 arches and 7 million locally made bricks, the viaduct is now a designated European monument.
Other number
1999-7114 - Lender Object Number
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:NRM YORK.1:15-1999

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Record createdMarch 15, 2004
Record URL
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