Coffeepot 1817 - 1818

Henry Nutting created this coffeepot in the United States during the early 19th century, using silver. It shows us how the simple act of drinking coffee was becoming entwined with social rituals and class distinctions. The coffeepot’s design, with its elaborate floral engravings and neoclassical shape, reflects the refined tastes of the emerging American middle class. Owning such a piece signaled social aspirations and adherence to European-influenced standards of elegance. Silverware like this was also part of a wider consumer culture. To truly understand this coffeepot, we need to dig into the economic and social history of early America, exploring probate records, merchants’ inventories, and etiquette manuals. These sources can reveal how objects like this were used to construct social identity and participate in a burgeoning market economy. By studying these contexts, we recognize that art always exists within the social and institutional frameworks of its time.