Spout Cup 1700 - 1725

This Spout Cup was made in Boston by John Edwards, a silversmith active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. A piece of functional silverware like this offers a glimpse into the material culture and social customs of early colonial America. Silver objects were not merely practical tools; they were potent symbols of wealth, status, and refinement. In a society deeply conscious of social hierarchy, owning such an item would have reinforced a family's position within the colonial elite. The cup's design, with its elegant spout, speaks to a culture that placed a high value on proper etiquette and genteel living. Was this an object made for a family with political aspirations? To truly understand the cup, we can turn to period documents – inventories, probate records, and merchants' accounts. These resources can help us reconstruct the social world in which it was created and used, reminding us that even the simplest object is embedded in a complex web of historical meaning.