Creamer 1795 - 1805

This Creamer was made by Saunders Pitman, a silversmith active in Providence, Rhode Island, between 1732 and 1804. Imagine the lives this creamer touched. Creamers like this were not mere tableware; they were emblems of social rituals, especially those surrounding tea and coffee. Consider that these beverages, and the sugar often added, were products of global trade networks deeply entangled with slavery and colonialism. The very act of pouring cream from this vessel connects back to these complex histories. This creamer reflects the identity of its owner, signaling wealth, taste, and social standing, all framed within the socio-economic structures of early America. It serves as a potent reminder of the intertwined nature of personal aesthetics and broader historical forces.