Covered Porringer 1700 - 1720

Editor: This is a Covered Porringer, likely made between 1700 and 1720 by an unknown artist. It's crafted from silver, and it strikes me as both elegant and utilitarian. Those pierced handles are fascinating. What can you tell me about its context and purpose? Curator: This porringer, beyond its simple function as a vessel for food, tells us about social rituals of the period. Its very existence speaks to a rising merchant class in the late Baroque period who desired luxury items and could display their status through elaborate tableware. The fact that it's silver, of course, signifies wealth. But consider too, the implications of something being *covered* – what does that suggest about food storage or even presentation within a specific domestic environment? Editor: That’s interesting! The pierced handles seem almost ornamental… Do they serve another purpose, or are they purely decorative? Curator: Well, practically speaking, the pierced handles would allow for cooling the contents if needed, and make it easier to hold when hot, but this intricate detail speaks volumes. Silverware was, in many ways, an important part of performing civility in this era. A family would make quite a show of presenting such a precious piece to their guests, wouldn't they? Do you think this piece challenges any ideas of practical tableware today? Editor: Definitely, our priorities have shifted. This level of ornamentation is reserved for special occasions now, a separation of purpose. I learned to think about social rituals. Thanks! Curator: Precisely, that divergence is key to understanding the cultural value shifts that this porringer represents in hindsight. My pleasure!