The Clarke/Cabott Tankard c. 1690 - 1710

Curator: John Coney, a silversmith active in Boston in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, crafted this tankard, now known as the Clarke/Cabott Tankard, held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The gleam is what first grabs me. It’s not just decorative; it’s functional, speaking to its intended purpose as a communal vessel, perhaps for ritual or ceremony. Curator: Indeed. The tankard bears an elaborate coat of arms, symbolizing lineage and status, further solidified by the inscription stating it as a gift to the North Church in Salem. It reflects the social hierarchies of colonial society. Editor: The labor involved in creating this object is intense. Think of the extraction of the silver, the shaping, the engraving – all evidence of skill and time, reflecting value beyond just monetary worth. Curator: It’s a potent symbol of piety and social standing. The imagery speaks to a desire for lasting legacy, with deep cultural resonance. Editor: Seeing the tankard, I understand how essential materiality is to culture. The silver itself carries the weight of history.