Hi Paris,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

The name "Fletcher" on this boiler denotes it to be either Fletcher & Co., or J. & G. Fletcher, a British engineering firm known for producing stationary steam engines, sugar mill machinery, and boilers used in colonial industries—including plantations in the Caribbean, India, and Southeast Asia. The riveted construction and cylindrical shape suggest it's from the mid-to-late 1800s to early 1900s, before welding replaced riveting.

There were several plantations in the area of Piccadilly, St. Paul’s Parish, Antigua, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries, when sugar was the dominant crop on the island. Antigua's economy was heavily based on plantation agriculture, and St. Paul’s Parish—home to English Harbour, Falmouth, and Piccadilly—had a significant number of estates.

Collectors of plantation-related items prefer to know all the details about the specific plantation things come from; knowing that might increase the value of this boiler.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

An antique Fletcher painted cast iron horizontal riveted boiler
made in London, mid/late 19th Century
Of cylindrical form exhibiting riveted construction, with two flanged portals, inscribed on the fitting.
6-7 feet tall; 10 feet long
CONDITION: oxidized and lacking fittings but otherwise this appears to be intact.
PROVENANCE: Purportedly from a plantation on Antigua
$2,000-3,000*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia