Tea and Coffee Service with Tray
1850–1900
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Tray: 77.5 × 46.7 cm (30 9/16 × 18 7/16 in.); Urn: H.: 44.1 cm (17 3/8 in.); Pot: H.: 34 cm (13 7/16 in.); Pot: H.: 33.3 cm (13 1/8 in.); Sugar: H.: 22.5 cm (8 7/8 in.); Creamer: H.: 23.3 cm (9 3/16 in.); Waste bowl: H.: 17.8 cm (7 1/16 in.)
Classification
tea service
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
60067
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This elegant Tea and Coffee Service with Tray, crafted in silver by Andrew Ellicot Warner Jr. between 1850 and 1900, exemplifies the refined domestic rituals of nineteenth-century America. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Arts of the Americas department, the complete set includes an urn, two pots, sugar bowl, creamer, waste bowl, and an impressive tray measuring over thirty inches long. Its substantial scale and coordinated design highlight the importance of silver tableware as markers of status and hospitality during this era. Silver’s enduring appeal as a medium lies in its luminous surface and malleability, allowing artisans to create intricate forms that caught the light during social gatherings. Warner’s service reflects the high level of craftsmanship required to produce such functional yet decorative objects, transforming everyday tea and coffee rituals into occasions of elegance. The set’s presence in a major museum collection underscores its value as both a practical household item and a testament to American silversmithing traditions in the late 1800s.