Porringer 1774 - 1809

Curator: Looking at this photograph of a silver porringer by Gershom Jones, dating from 1774 to 1809, it immediately evokes a sense of domestic history, doesn’t it? Its presence here speaks to how even humble, utilitarian objects can reflect broader social trends. Editor: It certainly does. My initial reaction is drawn to its intricate handle. All those flourishes seem so unnecessary for a simple eating vessel, and it creates this weirdly royal vibe for, well, baby food! Curator: Not just baby food, necessarily. Porringers were often used by adults who were ill, or elderly, and the size indicates a relatively small portion. As silver, it's value positioned the owner as a relatively affluent member of early American society, though such pieces also often served memorial functions, handed down generations in families keen to associate with particular patriotic or family virtues. The existence of these objects is connected to societal anxieties. Editor: The handle design makes me think of symbolic "gates," of moving from childhood to something else. What do the shapes suggest to you? There’s something almost medieval in its feel; heraldic beasts reduced to mere curves, a forgotten language of adornment on something so close to one’s mouth. Curator: Perhaps! We should remember this porringer reflects the complex dance of American identity formation during its creation, which came directly after Independence. Craft items of this time offer a rich trove to historians in terms of political association. Editor: Exactly! Isn't it funny how a simple bowl can hold all that? To consider it is far from only eating from this piece; it suggests a rich matrix of class, memory, history. What we consume transforms to what defines us. Curator: It gives us plenty to chew over, definitely. Editor: Well said! Let's move on to the next object.