Miniature coffeepot 1776

Editor: Here we have a delightful miniature coffeepot, crafted in 1776 by Elizabeth Roker. It's made of silver and is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I'm struck by the contrast between its precious material and its functional, everyday form, and its size—it makes me wonder about its intended use. What story do you think this little coffeepot tells? Curator: Well, considering its material composition and the likely social status associated with silver objects in 1776, this piece presents an interesting commentary on consumption and class. Was it a child’s toy, mimicking adult rituals? Or a salesman’s sample? Perhaps even a display of wealth—a purely decorative item signaling access to global trade routes and colonial exploitation that brought coffee and silver together? How do you perceive the labour involved in crafting this miniature object? Editor: That’s a great point! Thinking about the labor...it must have taken a considerable amount of skilled handcrafting to create something so small and detailed out of silver. I guess I hadn't really thought about the working conditions or social implications behind producing luxury goods. Curator: Exactly! The preciousness of the silver, the detailed craftsmanship…all point to specific labor practices. Think about the mining, the refining, the silversmithing itself – where did this silver come from, and who suffered to obtain it? This tiny object holds a great deal of economic and social weight, challenging the boundaries between mere decoration and significant cultural artifact. Do you see how the value is constructed, not inherent? Editor: Definitely! Now I see the coffeepot not just as a charming object but as a symbol of a much larger, interconnected system of labor and consumption. I hadn't considered the broader implications of something so small. Curator: Precisely. Sometimes, the most seemingly insignificant objects can reveal the most profound truths about our material culture.