Teakettle and spirit lamp with stand

Paul de Lamerie

1744/45 · Silver, leather · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

English merchants carried luxury goods of all kinds to the American colonies, where they set a fashionable standard that was emulated by local artisans. These three pieces - teakettle, basket and bowl - formed part of a larger service that was owned by a prosperous merchant in Philadelphia. David Franks, the son of a prominent Jewish family in New York, married Margaret Evans in 1744, and this service was likely purchased to mark their marriage. The silversmith, Paul de Lamerie, was the head of a flourishing workshop, and these rococo pieces were in the vanguard of London taste.

Artist

Paul de Lamerie

Date

1744/45

Medium

Silver, leather

Culture

British, London

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of George D. Widener and Mrs. Eleanor Widener Dixon, 1958