Object Notes

In the 18th century, mugs and canns (mugs with bulbous bottoms) were widely used among wealthy Americans for ale drinking and in churches for Communion. This example (c. 1760) by the well-known Boston silversmith Benjamin Burt (1729-1805) is an excellent example of the form in American silver.

This vase is part of a series Tiffany's produced using silver appliqués on a nonprecious metal body. Records indicate that the outer surface of this example is of rusted steel. Another version was of copper. On the back side are silver appliquéd polonia leaves and geometric cutouts.

This pitcher is an exceptional example of silver from the American Aesthetic movement of the 1880s. During this period, the Gorham Manufacturing Company, which made this pitcher, was arguably this country's finest producer of silverware.

Coffee, along with tea and chocolate, was a popular beverage in colonial America during the 18th century. Typically taller than teapots, some coffeepots were fashioned with openings in their lids to accommodate stirring rods, allowing them to be used to serve chocolate.  

Although less well known than Tiffany or Gorham, Whiting and Company produced some of the finest silver in America during the late 19th century. This coffeepot represents Whiting at its most innovative and technically dazzling. Rather than turning to Japan for inspiration, Whiting has drawn upon Russian silverwork which uses textiles and woven wicker as motifs.