Porringer
1761–99
Medium
Pewter
Dimensions
1 3/4 x 7 1/8 x 5 in. (4.4 x 18.1 x 12.7 cm)
Classification
Porringer
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. J. Insley Blair, in memory of her husband, 1940
Accession Number
40.184.7
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this elegant pewter porringer by Frederick Bassett (1761–99) offers a glimpse into everyday colonial American life. Crafted during the late 18th, porringers like this one—measuring a compact 1 3/4 x 7 1/8 x 5 inches—were versatile vessels used for serving porridge, infants' meals, or small portions of food and drink. Pewter, an affordable alloy of tin, antimony, and copper, served as a practical substitute for silver, making it a staple in middle-class households across the American colonies. Bassett, a skilled American pewterer likel...