Description:
Silver tankards served the New York Dutch community both functionally and symbolically. When embellished with coats of arms and family initials, such drinking vessels symbolized family union, fidelity, and continuity. Popular as wedding presents, tankards were subsequently used on other ceremonial occasions, such as the birth of a child. Tankards made in New York retained the broad stance, straight tapered body, and flat cover of late 17th century English tankards. However, the ornament used to embellish New York tankards was hybrid, marrying Dutch, French Huguenot, and English designs. Silver tankard made by Bartholomew Schaats (c.1683-c.1758) with the touchmark "BS" over device in a heart on the cover and to the left of the scroll handle; the initials "W/ H*E" in block letters on the handle; "w" scratched on the cover; and "28 oz." engraved on the bottom. The coat of arms of the Wyllys family of Hartford is engraved on the front with a helmet, over a chevron between three mullets, over a leopard's head, all within an ornate surround. A later, erroneous inscription is engraved on the bottom: "Charter Oak Heirloom- / Wyllys Tankard / brought from / Warwickshire England / by George Wyllys / to Hartford Conn in 1638." The initials are for Hezekiah Wyllys (1672-1741) of Hartford and his wife Elizabeth Hobart (d.1762) who married in 1704. Hezekiah was the only son of Samuel (1632-1709) and Ruth Haynes Wyllys, and grandson of Governor (from 1642-1645) George Wyllys (d.1645), who came to this country in 1638. Hezekiah was Hartford town clerk from 1705-1732, and Secretary of the colony from 1712-1734. A "Family Genealogical Record" (HD 62.182.1) has detailed information on the Wylly and related families. The arms are the same as those on a painted coat of arms presented to Hezekiah Wyllys by Samuel Belkap of New York in 1720, now in The Connecticut Historical Society. The Society also has a July 26, 1720 letter from Belkap to Wyllys referring to sending both a painted coat of arms and a tankard. Although it has been suggested that the HD tankard was presented as wedding gift to Hezekiah and Elizabeth, this Belknap letter appears to date the tankard to 1720. The joint initials indicate that it was the joint property of husband and wife. The flat cover, broad proportions, and applied band of stamped leaves were made in NY from the late 17th through the mid 18th century. Wgt. 26 1/2 ozs., 1 dwt., 3 grs.
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https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+55.453 |
