*British, Mid–Late 19th Century, Royal Navy ½ Gill Copper Rum Measure – Engraved HMS Victory, Pusser’s Rum Mark*
A fine and authentic 19th-century Royal Navy copper rum measure, capacity ½ Gill (one-eighth pint), hand-engraved “½ GILL H.M.S VICTORY” and stamped to the base with the official “Pusser’s Rum” fouled anchor mark within an oval cartouche. Constructed in solid copper with a tinned interior, rolled rim, and neatly soldered round-section handle, the measure follows the Admiralty’s standard naval pattern used throughout the Victorian period for the daily issue of the sailor’s rum ration. This example, with its hand-struck lettering and early construction features, represents the pattern in use aboard ships of the fleet during the second half of the 19th century.
The engraving “H.M.S VICTORY” associates the piece with the Royal Navy’s most celebrated warship — Nelson’s flagship at Trafalgar (1805) — which continued in commissioned service through the 19th century as a harbour flagship and tender at Portsmouth before being placed in permanent dry dock in 1922. It is therefore likely that this measure originated from Victory’s period as a serving flagship, or was produced for shipboard or dockyard use at Portsmouth during her late-Victorian tenure.
Dimensions: Height: 5 cm. Top Diameter: 5 cm. Base Diameter: 3.9 cm. Width (including handle): 8 cm. Capacity: ½ Gill (approx. 70 ml / 1⁄8 pint).
Historical Note: The Royal Navy rum ration — the famous “tot” — was first introduced in 1731 and became a defining feature of naval life for over two centuries. Issued by the ship’s purser (“the Pusser”) under strict supervision, the ration was dispensed from copper or brass measures of regulated capacity. By 1850 the half-gill tot had become the fixed daily issue, continuing unchanged until the practice was abolished on 31 July 1970 (“Black Tot Day”). The ½ Gill denomination was formally standardised by Admiralty Order in 1850, fixing the tot at one-eighth pint per man per day — a reduction from earlier rations issued since the Navy’s adoption of rum in 1731.
HMS Victory, as both a living ship and a ceremonial symbol of the Navy, retained an enduring connection with this naval tradition, and authentic engraved measures bearing her name are highly sought after as tangible relics of the service’s maritime heritage.
*Condition* Good condition throughout, with an attractive patina and light age wear consistent with use. Some surface marks and minor oxidation to the base, traces of tinning visible to the interior. The handle and seams remain sound, and all engravings are crisp and legible. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
