Quart Mug 1794 - 1839

Editor: Here we have Samuel Kilbourn's "Quart Mug," dating sometime between 1794 and 1839. The simplicity of form is quite striking. What symbolic meaning might an object like this hold? Curator: Well, a seemingly mundane object like a drinking mug can be laden with cultural weight. What comes to mind when you see it? Editor: Honesty, labor… a certain everyman quality? Perhaps suggesting hard work and simple pleasures. Curator: Precisely. This mug speaks to the rise of American industry, craftsmanship, and a developing national identity. Kilbourn created this during a time of immense social and political change; do you see any design elements that signal this? Editor: Perhaps the emphasis on functionality over elaborate decoration? A move away from European aristocracy maybe? Curator: Exactly. And consider the act of sharing from a communal vessel. What symbolic importance might that have had in early America? Think about the values of community, and shared experience… How might those manifest in a single vessel? Editor: Oh, right! It becomes a symbol of unity and equality, very relevant in a newly formed republic. Curator: It shows how ordinary items can embody complex cultural aspirations and shift prevailing attitudes. Thank you, I have never considered that the communal vessels would contribute to unity in a community! Editor: Yes, thanks for helping me explore that. I'll never look at a mug the same way again.