Teapot

Date1748-1766

Artist/Maker John Townsend

MediumPewter; fruitwood

DimensionsOH: 5 1/8"; OL: 6 3/8"; Diam (base): 2 7/16"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1959-20

DescriptionTeapot: tall cast finial of turned design with circular disc attachment to top of tall domed cover with mid-band, flared rim, and short bezel on underside fitting within rim of body; cover attached by hinge to body below rim; fruitwood handle with scroll grip fitting straight cylindrical sockets; pear-form body with molding at rim and multiple moldings between concave neck and bulbous lower section resting on short straight baseband; paneled fowl's neck spout. Uninscribed as to owner.
Label TextJohn Townsend was a major maker of pewter for export to the American colonies. Daniel Wister, a Philadelphia merchant, was one of his regular customers. One of the three orders that he placed with Townsend in 1763 contained no fewer than 12,916 pieces. Most of this order was to be sent in twenty-four identical barrels that could be individually wholesaled to stores in the Philadelphia area. Each barrel was to contain three teapots of this half-pint size (right) and three of pint size, in both instances "without legs." They were probably of similar shape to this example, because this was the only kind of pewter teapot sold with or without legs at this time. CWF accession 1936-28 (left) illustrates a conventional example with legs.
InscribedNo
MarkingsTouch mark a pascal lamb with a dove with olive branch in bill in flight above framed by "17 IOHN 48/TOWNSEND" within an outlined oval on underside of base. Quality "X" with crown above within a shaped rectangle above touch mark on underside of base.
ProvenanceVendor: Needham's Antiques, New York, NY.