Coffee Pot 1789 - 1790

Editor: Here we have a silver coffee pot, crafted around 1789-1790 by Charles Hougham. Its gleaming surface and decorative detailing make me think about the elegance of the late 18th century. How do you read this object? Curator: From a materialist perspective, it’s fascinating to consider this coffee pot as a product of labor and consumption. The silver itself was extracted, processed, and shaped, likely involving a network of exploited workers. Consider also the coffee it held – a colonial commodity fueling European society. What can its design tell us about production and class? Editor: I see the neoclassical style influencing the form, perhaps reflecting the ideals of the time. Do you think the craftsmanship involved elevates it beyond a purely functional object? Curator: The question of elevating it is central. Artisans with specific skills clearly labored, yet this object served to mark social standing, representing access to materials and global trade. Does the division of labor, from mining the silver to its consumption as coffee, ultimately define its value? Editor: That's a really interesting way to look at it. I never considered the labour aspects beyond just the silversmith. So it becomes less about pure aesthetic appreciation and more about the societal systems at play during its creation and use? Curator: Precisely. Thinking materially encourages us to look at the pot not just as beautiful object, but as the physical embodiment of social relations and global economic processes. Editor: Thank you, that shifted my thinking a lot! It is an amazing coffee pot for sparking such a reflection.