Plate c. 1807

This silver plate was made by William Sumner sometime in the 19th century. Sumner was working during a period in American history defined by the construction of national identity through industry, trade, and unfortunately, slavery. What does it mean to set the table with silver when that silver comes at such high cost? What does it mean to polish that silver? Whose labor makes this level of refinement possible? In the context of expanding industrialization and consumption, this plate becomes more than a mere object; it serves as a marker of status, deeply entangled with the socio-economic hierarchies of its time. Consider the quiet gleam of the metal and the stories it silently carries. As we reflect on this object, we are invited to contemplate the complex relationship between luxury, labor, and the legacy of American history.