Thursday, April 12, 2012

Thank You, Paul!

You may not know this, but Paul Revere (1734-1818), noted for his famous words "The British are coming! The British are coming!" was a silversmith in the Colonies, one noted as an accomplished engraver, so he could decorate his own pieces. Note the beautiful tea pot above, crafted in 1796, it is silver and on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, in Gallery 750.
Here is the museum's description:

The elegant, restrained design of this teapot, with its bright-cut swags and ornamental bands, is entirely in keeping with the Neoclassical taste that flourished at the end of the eighteenth century. Oval teapots, either plain or fluted, were among the standard items produced in Revere's shop after the Revolutionary War. They were fashioned from sheet silver, produced with the flatting mill that Revere acquired in November of 1785. Each teapot was constructed with an overlapping seam at the handle, which was both soldered and riveted. This technique produced a very strong joint, and it was also simpler for some of the less experienced journeymen and apprentices in his shop to achieve. Teapots of this model paired handsomely with similarly designed creampots and sugar bowls, also represented in the Museum's collection.

Well, I am lucky enough to own a reproduction of it! As a matter of fact, I have the whole tea set, that was a wedding gift to me from a dear relative. I have enjoyed it over many years. It was reproduced by Lunt Silversmiths, the oldest continuously operating, family-owned silver company in the United States, originally established in 1902. I think it has a timeless design, sometimes almost a modern feel, with its straight lines. Great simplicity, and so, like all good, well-designed, understated things, it stands the test of time. Thank you, Paul!

2 comments:

  1. For all the times I looked at that tea set I always assumed it was modern... Little did I know...

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  2. I know what you mean. They almost look Art Deco.

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