Caster 1790 - 1800

Editor: This is a caster by Paul Revere. I find it rather quaint, with its little bird engraving. What can you tell me about it? Curator: This piece speaks volumes about cultural identity in early America. Consider the bird – is it a proud eagle, a symbol of the burgeoning nation, or something more domestic, hinting at familial comfort and the aspirations of a growing middle class? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the bird’s symbolism. I just saw it as decorative. Curator: Precisely! The decorative *is* the symbolic. The rising spirals atop the caster – what might they signify to a culture steeped in religious and civic idealism? The upward movement, the reaching towards something more... Editor: So, it’s more than just a container for spices; it's a statement about values. Curator: Indeed. These objects are echoes of a society finding its voice, one peppered dish at a time.