Artist/Maker William Gale (1799 - 1867)

Creamer

ca. 1835

Place madeNew York, New York, United States, North America

Silver

Overall: 5 1/4 × 7 1/8 × 8 1/4 in., 16 oz (troy) 16.9 dwt (13.3 × 18.1 × 21 cm, 523.9 g)

Bequest of Mary MacKaye Greenwood

1969.10c

This creamer is part of a raised and chased tea service with a related hot water urn and is an example of the many variations of sets available to wealthy Americans during the 1830s and 1840s. The set illustrates the ways in which families augmented (or disassembled) them over time. The assembled service belonged to Dr. Isaac John Greenwood (1795-1865), a prominent New York City physician and dentist. Greenwood was the son of Dr. John Greenwood (1760-1819), a Revolutionary War veteran who arrived in New York in about 1785, and by 1789 had earned the distinction of becoming George Washington's dentist. Isaac Greenwood may have acquired the tea service around 1832, following his marriage to his second wife, Mary McKay (1815-1899). The couple probably had the hot water urn made later to match the set.

DescriptionWrought silver creamer; gadrooned, inverted pear-shaped body with chased acanthus leaves in each lobe of the lower body, chased floral cartouches on the front and back of the upper body; on a round, molded foot with a band of chased and repousséd flowers and leaves, applied vertical footring with a die-rolled bead and floral design; joined to the body by a round egg and dart pedestal; applied, cast concave shoulder with a cast acanthus band below and an applied raised and extended pouring lip above with an applied, die rolled decorative band around the rim; cast scroll handle, crimped in the center and partly covered with acanthus leaves and flowers; "G" engraved in script in the front cartouche; maker's marks stamped on the base.

Markingsengraved: in front cartouche: "G" in script stamped: on base: "W. G" in rectangle over an eagle in a circle and and iunidentified hallmark in an ellipse

ClassificationsSILVER