Teapot 1764 - 1798

This teapot was made by William Will, a colonial American pewterer working in Philadelphia in the late 18th century. It embodies both the luxury and the revolutionary spirit of the time. Tea drinking was an important social ritual in colonial America, but it also became a symbol of British taxation and control. The high cost of imported tea meant it was initially a preserve of the upper classes, but the resistance to the Tea Act of 1773 saw ordinary colonists turning to smuggled or herbal alternatives. So, while a teapot like this suggests refinement and gentility, it also reflects a complex political landscape. To understand this piece fully, we can look to period documents, trade records, and even political pamphlets. The seemingly simple form of the teapot thus opens a window onto a society in the throes of transformation, where everyday objects were imbued with new political meanings.