Toleware Coffee Pot c. 1936

Here is William L. Antrim's "Toleware Coffee Pot", made with an unknown medium on paper in the late 19th or early 20th century. Antrim was active during a period when American art and design were deeply influenced by both industrialization and a yearning for pre-industrial craft. This image of a traditionally decorated coffee pot invites us to reflect on the intersection of art, labor, and gender roles within the domestic sphere. Everyday objects like coffee pots were often decorated by women, and served as both functional items and expressions of artistic skill. In a time when gender roles were more defined, the decoration of household items allowed women a creative outlet and a means to personalize their domestic environments. The presence of toleware, or decorated tinware, emphasizes a connection to folk art traditions, where simple, everyday objects become canvases for personal and cultural expression. Consider how the act of creating and using such an item intertwines with the lives and identities of individuals, reflecting a broader narrative of American material culture and domestic life.