Mustard Pot
ca. 1879
Medium
Silver, copper, gold, patinated copper-gold alloy, patinated copper-platinum-iron alloy, and niello
Dimensions
3 3/16 × 2 1/2 × 2 in. (8.1 × 6.4 × 5.1 cm)
Classification
Mustard pot
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Friends of the American Wing Fund and Emma and Jay A. Lewis Gift, 2016
Accession Number
2016.689
Art Historical Context
Crafted by the renowned American firm Tiffany & Co. around 1879, this *Mustard Pot* exemplifies the Gilded Age's opulent silverwork. Standing just over 3 inches tall, this diminutive vessel was designed for the refined dining tables of New York's elite, blending functionality with artistic flair. Tiffany & Co., founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany, rose to prominence in the late 19th century its innovative designs inspired by Renaissance Revival and the Aesthetic Movement, prioritizing beauty in everyday luxury objects. The pot's true marvel lies in its complex materials: silver, copper, gold, pa...
About the Artist
Tiffany & Co. · 1837–present
Tiffany & Co., founded on September 18, 1837, by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in New York City as a stationery and fancy goods store, quickly evolved into a premier American house for jewelry and decorative arts. Under Charles's leadership, the firm introduced innovations like the sterling silver standard in 1851 and the iconic six-prong Tiffany Setting engagement ring in 1886, establis...