Sugar Bowl
1835–45
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 10 1/4 x 7 7/8 x 5 1/2 in. (26 x 20 x 14 cm); 28 oz. 11 dwt. (887.5 g) Body: H. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm); 24 oz. 13 dwt. (766.8 g) Cover: 2 1/2 x 3 7/8 in. (6.4 x 9.8 cm); 3 oz. 18 dwt. (120.7 g)
Classification
Sugar Bowl
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Alphonso T. Clearwater, 1933
Accession Number
33.120.570
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silver sugar bowl, crafted the skilled brothers Robert and William Wilson between 1835 and 1845, stands as a fine example of American decorative arts from the early Victorian era. Measuring 10¼ x 7⅞ x 5½ inches overall and weighing nearly 29 troy ounces (including detailed breakdowns for body and cover), it reflects the precision and heft prized in high-end silverware. Adorned with motifs of men and flowers—likely chased or engraved for texture and elegance—the bowl's design blends figurative and floral elements, evoking the neoclassical influences popular in American households...