Description:
Silver tankard with a domed, triple-scored cover with a cast flying eagle finial; a seamed body with straight sides and flat base with multiple grooved bands around the rim and bottom; and a cast rectangular, pierced thumbpiece attached to the lid; and a faceted, ear-shaped handle attached by a pinned pivot. The tankard is marked "WILLIAMSON" in a rectangle on the base for Samuel Williamson (1772-1843), and "40 oz." scratched in. The front side opposite the handle is engraved: "PRESENTED/ by the Directors of the Banks of the/ UNITED STATES, NORTH-AMERICA, & PENNSYLVANIA/ To John Williams, Esquire, of Deerfield/ in the State of Massachusetts/ JUSTICE of the Peace,/ in consideration of Services/ rendered their Institutions/ A.D. 1801." The flying eagle finial may have symbolized the association between the Bank of North American and the Federal Government, since this was the first bank to take a charter under the National Banking Act. The left side of the handle is engraved: "The Gift of./ John Williams Esquire./ To The First Congregational Church / in Deerfield./ AD. 1832." John Williams (1751-1816), son of Elijah Williams (1712-1771) and Margaret Pynchon (1727-1772) of Deerfield, graduated Harvard in 1769 and initially practiced law in Salem with his grandfather, William Pynchon, until becoming a merchant, dealing primarily in lumber and the West Indies trade. Although reprimanded as a Tory during the Revolution, he regained his reputation in public affairs as registrar of deeds and justice of the peace, in which office he apprehended a ring of counterfeiters in 1801and for which he received this tankard and a silver coffee urn. Williams bequeathed this tankard in a codicil to his will to the Rev. Samuel Williams, pastor of the First Congregational church in Deerfield; his 1818 inventory listed its value as $47. Formerly L85.21
Label Text:
John Williams of Deerfield cemented his reputation in public affairs as registrar of deeds and justice of the peace, when, while in office, he apprehended a ring of counterfeiters in 1801. In appreciation, he received this tankard and a silver coffee urn from the banks involved. The tankard was given to the First Church of Deerfield in 1832. Unlike most of the tankards owned by or donated to the First Church, this hooped example from Philadelphia broke with the persistent stylistic tradition of a tapering, cylindrical tankard with domed lid.
Tags:
ceremonies Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+97.60.11 |
