MUSEUM curators are appealing to anyone who may have information about a particular artefact that has come to their attention.

A tobacco jar which appears to have been made in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 has been given to Penrith and Eden Museum.

Believed to have been made at the Wetheriggs pottery near Penrith the jar is in the form of a tree trunk showing stumps of trimmed branches.

The lid has similar stumps and a perched bird affords a convenient means of lifting it off.

The jar also has an inscription on a white slip band which states Wm Robinson Tirril October 2nd 1897.

However, curators at the museum have not been able to find out anything about William Robins of Tirril who is the recipient of the jar. A spokesperson from the museum said it is possible that it was a birthday or even a retirement gift, for a woodsman it would have been quite appropriate, but a similar example also has the date 1897 suggesting it was to mark the royal event.

The curators are appealing to anyone who might have any information about the Victorian gentleman to contact via email museum@eden.gov.uk or call on 01768 865105.