Pap Boat 1751 - 1771

Curator: Here we have an intriguing object titled "Pap Boat." This example, part of our decorative arts collection, was crafted anonymously somewhere in the United States between 1751 and 1771 and it is made of silver. Editor: It has a sterile look; almost clinical, but it's undeniably beautiful in its simplicity. The sheen of the silver, the elongated, asymmetrical form—it projects a quiet sort of grace, even without ornamentation. Curator: Well, let's unpack the utilitarian nature suggested by its name. A "pap boat," sometimes referred to as a "feeding boat," was exactly what it sounds like—a vessel for feeding infants or invalids. The pap, a soft food like bread soaked in milk or water, would have been spooned or poured from its lip. Editor: And immediately, my thoughts turn to symbolism, birth, infancy, nurturing and care—archetypal imagery that remains emotionally charged to this day. Silver, a precious metal, elevates the object. Was this luxury or necessity? What sort of status was implied in its design, materials, and use? Curator: Given the material, undoubtedly status played a significant role. Silver was a valuable commodity in the 18th century. Owning silver objects signified wealth, social standing, and refined taste, marking social strata in the production and consumption practices of the era. This specific pap boat embodies both everyday utility and conspicuous consumption. Editor: The boat shape has symbolic associations with journey, transition and care. What anxieties and beliefs were projected onto objects connected with vulnerability? Consider, too, that infant mortality rates were considerably higher then—linking it to a darker symbolic spectrum. Curator: That connection you make underscores the precarity of life at the time, perfectly expressed by way of silver. It speaks volumes, then and now, about the means of mitigating the dangers faced by infants. Editor: Indeed. Something seemingly mundane becomes weighted with meanings related to both social strata and universal experience. Curator: Right, considering it as an aesthetic product inseparable from socio-economic contexts enhances how it presents aesthetic properties. Editor: An unexpectedly rich trove of symbolic meanings and materiality wrapped into one. Thank you!