Tankard 1761 - 1793

This tankard was crafted in the 18th century by Henry Will, a German-American pewterer working in New York. In the American colonies, pewter objects like this one signified prosperity and taste, imitating the silverware of the wealthy. Colonial artisans who worked in metals were important agents in developing an American visual culture. Tankards, in particular, were associated with social gatherings. Imagine it filled with ale or cider at a tavern, a place for political debate and community-building. Will's tankard is not just a functional object, but also a window into the social and economic life of early America. To truly understand it, we might delve into probate records, merchant inventories, and tavern histories. These help us appreciate the role of objects in the rituals of daily life. Art, in this view, is deeply entwined with the social fabric.