Tankard 1759 - 1760

Curator: Before us stands a tankard crafted by Richard Gurney, an artist who lived from 1727 to 1773. Editor: It feels quite austere, doesn't it? The gleam of the silver is almost cold, a sharp contrast to the conviviality one might associate with such a vessel. Curator: Tankards like this, particularly those made of silver, were often symbols of status and belonging, emblems of wealth and civic participation within burgeoning colonial societies. Editor: The shape is so purposeful, almost architectural, and there is a sense of the craftsman's hand in every curve. I wonder what sorts of beverages it held, what rituals of gathering? Curator: We can't know for sure. What we can deduce is its role as a marker of social standing within the complex social fabric of the time. Editor: Indeed, it speaks to something larger than itself—a silent narrator of forgotten gatherings. Curator: Exactly. It's these echoes that give the object its voice. Editor: A poignant reminder of past rituals.