Sugar Bowl, from six piece silver coffee and tea service / Samuel Kirk
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1982/2.57E
- Title
- Sugar Bowl, from six piece silver coffee and tea service
- Artist
- Samuel Kirk
- Artist Nationality
- American
- Medium and Support
- silver
- Object Creation Date
- circa 1850
- Object Creation Place
- North and Central America (continent)
- United States (nation)
- Maryland (state)
- Baltimore (county)
- Creation Place 1
- North and Central America (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- United States (nation)
- Creation Place 3
- Maryland (state)
- Creation Place 4
- Baltimore (county)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mrs. George G. Cameron
- Dimensions
- 19.8 cm x 18.5 cm (7 13/16 in. x 7 5/16 in.)
- Century
- 19th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Decorative Arts
- Primary Object Type
- tea service
- Secondary Object Classification
- Decorative Arts
- Secondary Object Type
- coffee service
- Physical Description
- Two-handled cup with stemmed foot, square handles and opulent repoussé decoration
- Subject Matter
- Many silver luxury items in Colonial America were imported from Europe, but by the late 17th century American silversmiths began producing spoons, tankards, and tea services for domestic use and display, many of which emulated the aesthetics of British and Northern European design and ornament. The Tariff of 1842 imposed heavy taxes on imported goods to America, such as silver, which, along with a flourishing economy following the Civil War and an increase in the demand for elegant dining silverware, led to an increase in production. As the industry grew from local workshops to large factories, American silver manufacturers, such as Kirk & Sons and Tiffany & Company were established.
- Kirk & Sons, one of the oldest American silver manufacturers, was established in 1815 by Samuel Kirk in Baltimore, Maryland. Their work became renowned for its high-quality, durability and ornate beauty. Kirk reintroduced American silver-making to the tradition of repoussé, a technique of silver design in which the surface pattern is created by beating or applying force to the reverse side to produce the desired design in high relief. The popularity of Kirk & Sons’ work reflected the emergence of the Rococo Revival style in 19th-century America which was characterized by elaborate decoration and ornamental opulence.
- Secondary Keywords
- containers
- containers by function or context
- containers for serving and consuming food
- culinary containers
- objects
- objects we use
- vessels for serving and consuming food
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 1477 x 985
- File Size
- 84 KB
- Record
- 1982/2.57E
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1982-sl-2.57e/1982_2.57e.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1982-SL-2.57E:1982_2.57E.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Sugar Bowl, from six piece silver coffee and tea service; Samuel Kirk." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1982-sl-2.57e/1982_2.57e.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 21, 2024.