Milk Pot 1850

This is a silver milk pot made by John C. Moore, a prominent silversmith in New York City, though the exact date is unknown. The vessel's surface is elaborately decorated with grapevines, motifs that evoke classical associations with wine and abundance. During the 19th century, objects like this milk pot were not just functional items but potent signifiers of social status and refined taste. In a rapidly industrializing America, owning handcrafted silver pieces signaled adherence to older, aristocratic ideals of craftsmanship and luxury. Moore's workshop, which later became Tiffany & Co., catered to the burgeoning elite, creating objects that reinforced social hierarchies. Studying objects like this helps us understand the values and aspirations of a particular social class. Auction catalogs, newspapers, and historical records are essential resources for uncovering the complex relationship between art, commerce, and social identity in 19th-century America.