Coffeepot 1854 - 1865

This coffeepot was created by Thomas Danforth Boardman, a prominent figure in American pewter craftsmanship during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Boardman's coffeepot sits at the intersection of function and societal values. It was made during a period of emerging American identity, which was marked by industrial growth and social stratification. The coffeepot, a symbol of domesticity and hospitality, also reflects the economic realities of the time. Such an item would have been present in homes where the ritual of coffee consumption was practiced. The labor involved in producing and procuring coffee was frequently extracted from enslaved people. While the coffeepot might seem like a simple household object, it carries the weight of these entangled histories. It serves as a potent reminder of the complex social and economic systems that shaped early American life.