Porringer
1725–35
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 2 1/8 x 7 7/8 in. (5.4 x 20 cm); 9 oz. 10 dwt. (295.2 g) Body: Diam. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm) Lip: Diam. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm)
Classification
Porringer
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Alphonso T. Clearwater, 1933
Accession Number
33.120.360
Art Historical Context
This elegant silver porringer, crafted by Samuel Vernon between 1725 and 1735, exemplifies the refined metalwork of colonial America. Measuring just over two inches in height with a broad, shallow bowl and delicate handle, the piece weighs nearly ten troy ounces and was designed for everyday use at the table—typically for serving porridge, soup, or broth. Its clean lines and balanced proportions reflect the practical yet graceful aesthetic favored in early eighteenth-century households. As an object in the Metropolitan Museum’s American Wing, this porringer highlights the growing sophisticati...