Miniature bellows 1685 - 1695

This miniature silver bellows was made by George Manjoy, a silversmith active in New York in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Although functional objects, such as this bellows, may seem far removed from fine art, their design and production are deeply embedded in social and cultural history. They served a purpose in the home but also made a statement about the owner's wealth and social standing. Looking closely, the engraved floral design on the bellows gives us a glimpse into the aesthetic tastes of the time. It shows the influence of European decorative arts in the colonies. To fully appreciate this object, historians turn to a variety of resources: archival records of silversmiths and their patrons, inventories of household possessions, and studies of the decorative arts and social customs of colonial America. Understanding its social and institutional context helps reveal its full significance as a cultural artifact.