Revolutionary War era Pewter Porringer with crown, circa 1750 – 1780 (SOLD)

This is another early piece coming out of a 60-year collection of French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 artifacts. A large portion of this collection has been artillery related, but also there are medical and personal items. Being offered is an 18^th century two-handle porringer, ca. 1750 – 1780.

It is made of pewter and is 7” wide with the handles. The bowl has a diameter of 4 ¼” and is 1 ¾” deep. The bottom has an embossed clover design. The handles are unique having an emblem with a crown above it, which is probably a British piece. There are no visible touch marks or other markings.

These shallow bowls were a ubiquitous part of the colonial kitchen in the 17th and 18th centuries before falling out of widespread use in the early 1800s. The fanciest porringers were made from silver and had elegantly wrought handles made by expert craftsmen like Peter Van Dyck, a noted New York Silversmith.

Porringers have a long and complex history. Used in the British Isles and parts of Western Europe for centuries, porringers traveled west with the Puritan migrations of the early 1600s and survived in their original form in the colonies.

Today, many are displayed in museum collections. There is an example of one in the “Science Museum Group” (see pictures). Many households in New England and in the Mid-Atlantic colonies would have been able to afford more modest porringers, made of pewter, earthenware, or even wood. When not in use, they were often hung by their handles on little hooks in a cupboard or shelf.

The porringer remains in very nice condition, having an overall untouched patina. This collection began in the late 1950s and was created by private acquisitions, closed museums, diggers, and lake divers. The collector meticulously displayed and cataloged every piece along with any known provenance. It definitely merits a place in an advanced collection or museum.  As with all the pieces in this esteemed collection, a Certificate of Authenticity will be included.