Tankard
William Hollingshead
1754–75
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
20.3 × 16.8 × 12.1 cm (8 × 6 5/8 × 4 3/4 in.)
Classification
drinking vessel
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
52971
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The bulbous form of this tankard was most popular in Philadelphia, but was occasionally seen in tankards and mugs from New York. The scroll thumb-piece and double-domed lid, without a finial, were also typical of Philadelphia work. Tankards were popular drinking vessels throughout the 18th century, but were replaced at the beginning of the 19th century with the introduction of inexpensive glassware.