Covered Sugar Bowl
Bancroft Woodcock
1765–75
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
18.4 × 11.1 × 11.4 cm (7 1/4 × 4 3/8 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
sugar bowl
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
52260
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Wealthy colonists ordered silver sugar dishes and cream pots to complement their English ceramic or Chinese export porcelain tea or coffeepots. Complete matching tea sets were not common until the late 18th century. The double-bellied form of these objects was popular throughout the colonies during the Rococo period. The decoration, called chasing, was achieved by working the surface with a small hammer and chisels.