Coffeepot 1771

Editor: This is a coffeepot made in 1771 by the Master with the Mark of a Crowned D. It’s crafted from silver, a shimmering, luxurious piece of metalwork. The Baroque style gives it such an ornate and extravagant feeling. What's particularly interesting about it to you? Curator: Well, consider the coffeepot as an object representing a specific set of social and economic relationships. It's silver, so it involves mining, refining, and skilled labor. Think about who would have used this: almost certainly someone of considerable wealth who also had access to the goods this object signifies. Coffee, at this time, was tied to colonial exploitation and trade routes fueled by slave labor. Editor: So, it's not just about aesthetics; it's about understanding the full picture, the system of making and using it? Curator: Precisely! The Baroque style, for example, is tied to aristocratic consumption. The form is functional, of course, but it's equally about signalling status and power. Each step in its production would be highly specialised. And the object embodies value at many points from material extraction, trade to skillful labor. Editor: That makes you think about value differently. It challenges how we perceive precious materials like silver. So many things factor in! Curator: Exactly! It forces us to question the object’s history. The silver itself, where did it originate, and under what conditions was it mined and processed? The handle is wooden – who worked it, with what tools? What does this particular combination of materials signify in 1771? The context of manufacture is essential to interpreting its historical value and role. Editor: That makes this piece far more compelling. Curator: And that highlights how considering material and process expands our understanding beyond surface beauty, unveiling the socio-economic forces that shaped its very existence.