Sauce Boat c. 1817 - 1833

This silver sauce boat was made by Edward Lownes, who was working in Philadelphia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At the time, silver was more than a precious metal. It was a symbol of wealth and status in the early American Republic. Objects like this weren't just functional; they were a display of taste and success. What strikes me is the neoclassical design: the eagle head handle, the delicate engravings, and those paw feet. It’s a clear nod to the aesthetics of ancient Greece and Rome, which were fashionable among the elite. But beyond the elegance, objects like this also speak to the complex social dynamics of the time. Silverware was produced through the labor of skilled artisans, and consumed within households that relied on enslaved labor. The sauce boat, then, becomes a poignant reminder of the intertwined histories of artistry, wealth, and inequality in early America.