Artist/Maker Gale, Wood & Hughes (active 1835 - 1845)

Hot water urn

ca. 1834-1845

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

Silver

Overall: 11 1/2 × 17 7/8 × 13 1/2 in., 98 oz (troy) 12.8 dwt (29.2 × 45.4 × 34.3 cm, 3068 g)

Bequest of Mary MacKaye Greenwood

1969.15a-d

This hot water urn is part of a raised and chased tea service 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 hot water urn; inverted pear-shaped body with eight chased grooves equally spaced around the body; seated on a molded pedestal; stamped egg-and-dart band around the top of the pedestal; chased and repousséd floral band around the base of the pedestal; pedestal applied to a rounded square base with a die-rolled floral band,between beading and reeded bands, around the edge; on four cast scrolled scallop and foliate feet; plain concave neck flared to a beaded platform, above a chased and repousséd foliate band; applied vertical die-rolled rim; lid flat at the edges raised in the center to a chased and repousséd dome in a foliate design; elaborate chased and repousséd basket of fruit finial applied to the top of the dome; two cast s-scroll handles, crimped in the center by a plain band, partially covered with flowers and acanthus leaves applied to the sides of the body; chased and repousséd acanthus decoration around the base of the body; octagonal spigot joined to the lower body with a circular joint; elaborate cast leaf spigot finial; acanthus leaf pendent with a foliate band applied around the spigot lip; two chased and repousséd, scrolled foliate cartouches engraved "G" in the centers in script; wrought and seamed coal cylinder hung on an interior lip from an applied circular disk with three punch work ovals; circular lid in the center with a ring handle; makers' marks on the base.

MarkingsMark: stamped on base of urn in relief: "GALE WOOD & HUGHES" in a rectangle above two eagles in ovals above "MANUFACTURERS" in a curved serrated banner Inscription: engraved in the cartouches: "G" in script Description: "G" related to family of Isaac John Greenwood (1795-1865), the presumed original owner of similar Wm. Gale tea service (1969.10a-d). Engraved script initials comparable to those on Greenwood family Gale, Wood & Hughes trays, one of which may actually be part of aforementioned service, as might hot water urn under evaluation. Engraving: Urn has foliate and/or floral repousse and chased ornament along foot base, bottom of body, center-front and center-back of body, and at top of domed lid.

ClassificationsSILVER