Description:
Silver tankard with a raised stepped and domed lid with a cast bell-shaped finial secured by a silver rivet through the top, and single and double scored lines around the folded-edge rim; a straight-sided body with an applied flared rim over double scored lines; a cast tumbpiece with a scrolled top edge and attached to a cast five-segment hinge with pendant drop; a raised and soldered hollow S-curved handle with a V-shaped drop below the upper handle attachment; a circular plate on the body at the lower handle attachment; and a cast oval tailpiece; and an applied base molding consisting of a flat vertical section, cyma recta molding, and triple bead molding. The tankard was marked with "SE/ +" in a shield crowned for by Samuel Edwards (1705-1762) on the top of the lid between the finial and thumbpiece and center base, and engraved on the front, "The Gift of Mr. Ebenezer Wells to the Church of Deerfield/ Ano: 1758." Ebenezer Wells (1691-1758) of Deerfield, who married Abigail Barnard (1691-1772), the daughter of Joseph Barnard in 1720, was a prosperous farmer and tavern keeper who built the front end of the Wells-Thorn House around 1750. His will (written in 1757) left to "the Church of Christ in Deerfield, a good silver-Tankard to be provided by my Executors out of the remaining part of my Estate." Elijah Williams (1712-1771), a Deerfield trader and storekeeper, contracted with Samuel Edwards for the work, recording in his ledger for February, 1759: "Febr:y 2 To pd Mr. Sam.ll Edwards for a Silver Tanker 13/16/10/-" and charged "To my own Trouble in procuring & Bringing Tanker -/6/-/-". Samuel Edwards, who worked in Boston from 1729-1762 with his father, John Edwards (1671-1746), and brother, Thomas (1701-1755), also made a silver cann (HD 83.043) for Elijah Williams' sister, Abigail Hinsdale (1708-1787) and her husband, the Reverend and Colonel Ebenezer Hinsdale (1706-1763) for her niece, Anna Williams Cushing (1732-1815), in 1754. (Formerly L85.01).
Tags:
ceremonies Link to share this object record:
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