Beaker 1832 - 1840

This is a silver beaker made by Gregg, Hayden and Company, sometime between 1829 and 1840. At first glance, its sleek, cylindrical form might seem purely functional, but let's consider its place in early 19th century America. Objects like this beaker speak to the burgeoning middle class of the Jacksonian era. Silver was becoming more accessible, a signifier of upward mobility and domestic refinement. We can imagine this beaker gracing a middle-class table, perhaps used for a child's daily milk. Yet, the very material it's made of – silver – connects it to histories of extraction, labor, and trade, often involving exploitation. The beaker embodies the contradictions of its time: aspirations for equality and the harsh realities of inequality, the desire for progress intertwined with the legacies of the past. It asks us to reflect on the stories objects can tell and the values we pour into them.