Ewer (one of a pair)

Art Historical Context

In mid-eighteenth-century London, a silver ewer such as this one belonged to a formal dining service used for pouring water at the table or for rinsing hands between courses. Peter Archambo I, a leading silversmith working in the city, produced the pair of which this is one, marking the vessel with the year 1740/41 and the coat of arms of its first owners. The broad, swelling body sets the engraved arms apart from the plain lower half and the flaring foot, so that the heraldic design remains fully visible even when the ewer is half full. The high loop handle and the sharply angled spout are balanced so the vessel tips easily, yet the surface stays smooth enough to reflect candlelight without interruption. Now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the ewer carries its date stamp directly beneath the arms. Look closely at the small scroll that frames the date; the crisp edges of the engraving there show how the silversmith cut the metal to catch light from one side while leaving the surrounding plane untouched.