Covered sugar bowl
William W. Gilbert
1790–1800 · Silver · The American Wing
In the years following the American Revolution silversmiths favored such classical shapes as the covered urn and the inverted helmet, here represented by this sugar bowl and its matched creampot (23.80.20). Each of these objects is finely engraved below its beaded lip with brightcut geometric borders and wrigglework and on its body with floral festoons and a bowtied shieldshaped medallion engraved with an interlaced monogram. The bowtied ribbons are particularly distinctive, their twists and turns carefully shaded and their ends precisely frayed. Although only the creampot is marked, the ornamental beading and identical brightcut engraving confirm that they were intended as mates. The original owner of this sugar bowl is not known.
- Artist
- William W. Gilbert
- Date
- 1790–1800
- Medium
- Silver
- Culture
- American
- Department
- The American Wing
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Moore, 1923
