Easi-Nest thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 68, The Whiteley Galleries

Easi-Nest

Hot Water Jug
1946 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This hot water jug is part of an Easi-Nest compact tea service that includes a teapot, sugar bowl and milk jug. The fact that it was intended for use in commercial catering, such as hotels, has strongly influenced the design.

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. The lids swing back 180 degrees allowing the pots to drain easily when stored on drying racks.

The designer, Cyril Shiner (1908-1989), was a major British silversmith and industrial designer. He also had an excellent reputation as a gifted teacher and craftsman.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleEasi-Nest (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Electroplated nickel silver
Brief description
Hotel hot water jug in electroplate for Slade & Dolphin Ltd. Birmingham. Designed by Cyril Shiner, 1946.
Physical description
This hot wtaer jug is one component of a stacking service (along with M.30-2001, M.32-2001 & M.33-2001). Electroplated nickel silver, the body is a plain cylinder resting on a foot which is a flat, circular rim, the base of the body slopes downwards towards the centre. The foot rim fits snugly within the upper rim of the teapot (M.30-2001) when stacked. The top of the body is a narrow, circular flange sloping away from the centre and slightly overlaps the side wall. The lid is enclosed within a rim which is a plain strip of flat wire, interrupted at the rear by two lugs, at right angles to the rim holding a plain tube secured by a pin which forms the hinge of the lid. The lid, a circular disc with a protruding flange at the rear which is soldered to the tube forming the hinge, the surface concave with a knop in the centre, a segment with a plain strip as a moulding. A small hole to allow for escaping steam is drilled in the lid immediately behind it. The lid and hinge is constructed so that the lid can be opened through 180°, allowing the teapot to be inverted and rest to drain and dry on a mesh rack in a hotel pantry. The handle, ‘D’ shaped in profile is of hollow construction, rectangular in cross section and with rows of drilled holes near the two junctions with the body to facilitate heat dispersal. The short everted spout, soldered diametrically opposite the handle to the side wall of the body, just below the rim at the front.
Dimensions
  • Width: 10.50cm
  • Height: 12.30cm
  • Length: 17.00cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
EASI-NEST MADE IN ENGLAND A.1. E.P.N.S / PRO.PAT. / No. 3948 / REGD DESIGN / 853938 and the numerals 5 and 7 (Patent registration for style of applied decoration; English; In the centre of the underside of the base.)
Gallery label
  • 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(26/11/2002)
  • 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. (14.12.23)
  • 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.
  • 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(26/11/2002)
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 by the Museum is for the complete set.
Production
Reason For Production: Retail
Summary
This hot water jug is part of an Easi-Nest compact tea service that includes a teapot, sugar bowl and milk jug. The fact that it was intended for use in commercial catering, such as hotels, has strongly influenced the design.

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. The lids swing back 180 degrees allowing the pots to drain easily when stored on drying racks.

The designer, Cyril Shiner (1908-1989), was a major British silversmith and industrial designer. He also had an excellent reputation as a 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.31-2001

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdSeptember 20, 2001
Record URL
Download as: JSON