Description:
Silver tankard marked "TH" in roman letters in a rectangle on each side of the handle for Thomas Hammersley (1727-1781) who worked in NYC from 1756-1769, and engraved with a crescent and the initials "L / B*F" on the front side. The flat cover, crenate lip, and straight, slightly tapered body characterized NY tankards throughout the 18th century; the double-scroll handle, extra rise in the lid, and slight attenuation of form suggest a date after mid-century. There is a similar tankard in the collection of the Museum of the City of New York. This tankard, teapot (HD 54.468), two canns (HD 54.469.1/2), four salts and spoons (HD 54.470.1-.8), three spoons (HD 54.471.1-.3), and serving spoon (HD 54.472), all from the Watson Collection, appear to have been owned in the same family based on the arms, crests, or initials. This tankard was one of 92 pieces in the Watson-Crichton Collection (Watson #21), acquired by the Flynts in 1954 from Victor A. Watson (1897-1974), son-in-law and partner of Lionel Alfred Crichton (1866-1938), a retail silversmith and dealer in antique plate with shops in London, New York City and Chicago. Crichton, who was considered one of Britain's most prominent silver dealers of the early 20th century, started collecting American colonial silver for his own personal interest after WWI; the Watsons refused to sell the collection until meeting the Flynts. American silver found in England with English family heirlooms has been called "loyalist silver," since many pieces came to England with returning loyalists; however, this broadly-used term does not allow for pieces sent as gifts and taken over later. Wgt. 38 ozs., 17 dwts.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+3041 |
