Pepper Box 1725 - 1736

Editor: Here we have William Cowell Senior's "Pepper Box," a petite silver object dating back to the early 18th century. It seems almost like a miniature tankard. What strikes you about it? Curator: Well, let’s consider the material and its origins. Silver, during Cowell's time, signaled wealth and status. This pepper box embodies a very specific relationship to labor and consumption. Who was using this? Editor: Presumably someone of means, if they possessed silver. Curator: Exactly! It speaks volumes about early American social hierarchies and the role of material culture in constructing identity. And the labor involved, the silversmithing itself...it's a potent combination of utility and social signaling. Food! Class! Labor! Editor: I see, it’s more than just a container for pepper. Curator: Precisely. It's a testament to the power of objects.