Mug 1763 - 1764

This silver mug was crafted by William Penstone, who was born in 1742, and embodies the aesthetics and social practices of 18th-century life. Imagine the hands that might have held this mug. Who were they? What was their gender? What was their class? For whom was this a daily object and for whom would it have been an aspiration? The very notion of a personal drinking vessel speaks to evolving ideas around hygiene and etiquette, marking shifts in social behaviors. The material of the mug is also telling. Silver signified wealth, status, and belonging to a certain echelon of society. This object goes beyond function, telling a story of identity, aspiration, and social change. The mug is not just a vessel; it is a quiet witness to the unfolding dramas of identity and social change.