Silver Christening Cup & Silver Christening Tankard

"In 1920s Ireland, this silver tankard and silver cup were given to my grandfather and his brother on their christening days, most likely from their godparents. Although many who have their children christened in more contemporary times often admit to having little affiliation with the more rigorous aspects of the ceremony, the gifts which are given to mark the event have stayed largely the same for centuries. When society changed the emphasis from christening gifts of a purely financial nature to presents of objects with an intrinsic value, the gift of a silver object was developed. In Ireland, the silver spoon, silver cup or silver tankard proved to be most popular. During the Twentieth Century, silver christening presents such as these engraved ones were given to the child after they had been baptized. Evidently, engravings on gifts such as these highlight the tailoring and customisation of a product to a particular individual. These empty objects are thought to represent the young infant – the vessel mirroring the child, which in time is to be filled with God’s love and faith in Christianity. Silver was used to symbolise the particular bond of goodwill and protection that should exist between godparent and child and is a particularly striking example of the material object used as the demarcator of a unique relationship."