This cistern is from a set of silver for serving wine. The set also includes a water fountain. Both were placed in tiers on a sideboard in the dining room, with the cistern generally placed on the floor. Its function was to catch the drips from the rinsed glasses and cool the wine bottles. In the 18th century, wine glasses were not set on the table, but brought to each diner by a servant. When empty they were rinsed with water from the fountain, with the dirty water discarded into the cistern, and refilled from the chilled wine bottles.

A. H. Whiteley Family Foundation