Porringer 1788 - 1820

This pewter porringer was crafted by Richard Lee, a silversmith active in Boston during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During Lee's time, Boston was a bustling port city, shaped by trade, revolutionary fervor, and burgeoning class distinctions. This modest, everyday object invites us to consider the intimate lives of individuals and families in early America, including their relationship to a global market shaped by colonial economies and systems of labor. The porringer, with its simple form and functional design, embodies the values of practicality and domesticity that were central to the lives of many early Americans. At the same time, the presence of this refined object raises questions about access, class, and the circulation of goods in a society marked by deep inequalities. As you reflect on this object, consider its place in the larger story of American identity. What does it tell us about the aspirations, struggles, and contradictions of a nation in formation?