Mug 1764 - 1798

This mug was made by William Will, who was active in Philadelphia in the late 18th century. It's made of pewter, an alloy of tin with smaller amounts of other metals like lead and antimony. The mug’s appealing silvery finish comes from the careful polishing of the metal. Pewter is relatively soft, so it can be shaped by hammering, bending and casting. The body of the mug has been raised from a flat sheet of pewter. If you look closely at the handle you can see how it has been cast in a mold, before being soldered onto the body of the mug. Pewter was popular for tableware because it was cheaper than silver, but still had a nice sheen. In the 18th century, objects like this were often made by skilled artisans working individually. The mug represents a moment in time when things were shifting from handcraft to industrial manufacturing. Looking at this mug, we are reminded of how the story of materials and making can speak volumes about history.