American Silver Seven-Piece Tea and Coffee Service

Object Details

Object Essay

Two unusual features of this tea and coffee service are the number and type of forms that constitute the set and the full family name engraved in all upper-case script letters on the side of each piece.^{1_{Research into families in the northern Virginia, District of Columbia, and Maryland areas has failed to locate the Terrell family.}} Most Empire-style tea and coffee services from the mid-Atlantic region consisted of a large pot, two smaller but very similar pots, a covered sugar bowl, a slop bowl, and a cream pot. As it survives, this service has the requisite large pot, only one similar smaller pot, a slop bowl, two sugar bowls (one of which is missing its cover), and two identical cream pots. It is possible that this is the surviving combination of two very similar sets; it was not uncommon during this period for relatives to have virtually identical sets, which have been confused and mixed together over subsequent years. Another explanation for the double sets of sugar bowls and cream pots may be the fashion about this time for large sugar bowls and creamers on the dessert table as well as with the service of tea.

The forms and ornamentation of this service are very characteristic of Burnett’s work.^{2_{Remarkably similar tea and coffee service pieces by Burnett exist in the collections of the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, Washington, D.C., and the Maryland Historical Society (Goldsborough 1983, 100–101).}} The bulbous shapes are bold yet restrained in comparison to pieces by Philadelphia and Baltimore silversmiths. The animal-head spouts are in the tradition of Philadelphia/Baltimore eagle and sea-serpent spouts but are curiously more mammalian—Burnett’s animal-heads look more like those of big soft cats than eagles, serpents, or dragons. The leaf-and-scroll handles of the larger pots are found on other Burnett pots and relate to handles by other makers. In contrast to the graceful cornucopia-form handles of the cream pots, the larger handles have an unfortunate clumsiness. The simplified bud finials are unique to Burnett silver, as is the use of these particular wide and narrower strawberry-motif milled bands on each piece. This specific band design is almost a surer sign of Burnett’s shop than his mark.

Jennifer F. Goldsborough

Excerpted from Clement E. Conger, et al. Treasures of State: Fine and Decorative Arts in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. Department of State. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1991.