Mustard Pot 1790 - 1825

This is a silver mustard pot, made by Joseph Shoemaker in the late 18th or early 19th century. It speaks to a time of nascent industrialization and growing social stratification in the young United States. Such an object would have graced the table of a prosperous merchant or landowner. Silver, even in a relatively simple form like this, was a clear marker of status. Note the craftsman’s attention to detail, from the beaded rim to the elegantly curved handle. These visual cues would signal wealth and refinement to those who used it, while reflecting the taste and social aspirations of its owner. We can learn much about the social history of early America by studying objects like this. Estate inventories, newspaper advertisements, and genealogical records can all shed light on the lives of those who owned and used such items, revealing the complex social dynamics of the time. These sources remind us that even a seemingly simple object can be a window into the past.