Grote Zwitserse tinnen wijn- of schenkkan – Type 'Berner Stegkanne' – Ca. 1880–1900 - Ewer - Pewter

Large Swiss tin coffee or pouring pot – Type 'Berner Stegkanne' – Ca. 1880–1900

Fine, heavily finished Swiss tin pouring pot of the classical 18th-century Berner Stegkanne type (also called Bügelkanne).
With a height of 32 cm, this is the large, mature size as originally produced in the canton of Bern and the Bernese Aargau.
This specimen dates from late 19th-century Swiss historicism (ca. 1880–1900), a period in which leading Swiss foundries produced high-quality pieces using original 18th-century bronze molds and traditional artisanal methods (turned on a lathe and hand-soldered).

Design and details:

Body: Globular to ovoid belly on a profiled, outward-round foot, transitioning to a constricted neck with turned profile rings (filetranden) and a cylindrical collar.
Spout and 'Steg' (Bridge): Long, facets with a shield-shaped heart at the belly junction, finished with a traditional beaded solder seam. Between the neck and the spout lies the most characteristic detail of the Bernese kettle: a cast, twisted, relief-decorated connecting bridge (Steg) ending in a plastically formed human hand gripping the pouring spout. The spout is equipped with its own hinged flap with a thumb rest.

Lid and handle: Domed lid crowned with a turned baluster knob and a strong, relief-cast thumb rest (Daumenrast) in Bernese Rococo style. The strap-shaped handle with the distinctive sharp right-angled bend extends straight down at the back and ends in a claw-like heel piece with three lobes.

Marks:
On the top of the handle, just under the hinge, bearing a double quality mark for fine tin (Feinzinn / Probezinn): A crowned eagle in a pearl border with the digits 3 and 1 on each side of the talons (referring to the high-quality alloy ratio of the tin).

A circular stamp with a standing Lady Justice holding a sword and scales (the traditional symbol for a pure, fairly weighed alloy).

Dimensions:
Height: 32 cm
Width (spout to handle): ca. 23 cm
Foot diameter: ca. 12 cm

Condition:
Good, fair, unrestored condition with a beautiful old, deep and warm tin patina. The hinges of both the main head and the spout lid close well, and the fragile connecting bridge with the hand is fully intact and without fractures or repairs. On the belly there is one old dent on one side (see photos), consistent with an age of over 125 years. Origin: From the Monasso Collection – a historic family collection gathered over 60 years.