Mug 1763 - 1807

This mug was made by Nathaniel Austin, a silversmith active in Boston during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, likely from sheets of Britannia metal. Britannia was developed as a cheaper alternative to silver. This alloy of tin, antimony, and copper, gave the look of expensive tableware to a wider segment of the population. Its relatively soft nature meant it could be easily shaped. The body of the mug was likely raised by hammering the metal over a stake, a specialized anvil, while the handle was cast and soldered in place. The tooling marks visible on the surface speak to the labor involved in its production. Austin's mug bridges the gap between luxury goods and everyday objects, reflecting the democratizing influence of industrial production. By focusing on the material and the making, we can appreciate this object not just as a drinking vessel, but as a document of its time.