Presentation tureen and pitcher

1816

Place madePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North America

Silver

see individual records

The Eugene H. Pool Collection of Captain James Lawrence, Gift of Dr. Eugene H. Pool

1942.544a-c

This tureen and pitcher were presented posthumously to Captain James Lawrence (1781-1813) for his heroic actions during the War of 1812. James Lawrence had entered the United States Navy at its founding in 1798, and quickly rose among its ranks. During the War of 1812 he commanded ships off the coasts of South America and Halifax, and quickly gained wide acclaim for leading the USS Hornet's attack on the ill-fated British HMS Peacock. Later, he commanded the thirty-six-gun frigate Chesapeake, on which he died on June 4, 1813, during battle with the thirty-eight-gun Shannon. This boat-shaped tureen and ewer-shaped pitcher were commissioned from one of Philadelphia's premier silversmiths, Simon Chaudron, and presented on Lawrence's behalf to his wife, Julia, in 1816.

DescriptionTureen: Raised boat-shaped body with cast foliate handles with Neptune- mask terminals, cover with cast Athena finial on raised circular pedestal foot, all on cast rectangular base with four cast scroll-and-mask feet. Irregular bead border at rim, egg-and-dart bands at foot and cover, swag border at foot collar and repoussé-chased acanthus frieze below cover pedestal. Pitcher: Raised urn-shaped body with inset shoulder and flared spout, supported on pedestal foot; repoussé-chased acanthus frieze along body, and cast hollow high-loop handle.

Markings"CHAUDRON" in serpentine banner struck on undersides of cover and base; "CHAUDRON" in serpentine banner struck three times on underside of pitcher.

InscribedINSCRIPTION: "Presented by the Citizens of Philadelphia to Capt.n James Lawrence, of the U.S. / Sloop of war Hornet; as a testimonial of the high sense they entertain of / his Skill & Gallantry in capturing on the 24th February 1813, the British Sloop of war / Peacock of equal force after a close action of 15 minutes & of his humane / exertions in rescuing the vanquished Crew from their Sinking Ship" engraved at back of tureen base. "Hornet's Loss / 1 Killed 2 Wounded" engraved on side of base. "Peacock's Loss / 8 Killed 30 Wounded" engraved on opposite side of base. "THE CITIZENS OF PHILADELPHIA / TO CAPTAIN J. LAWRENCE" cast at base front. "E.H. POOL" engraved on underside of tureen and pitcher (later).

ClassificationsSILVER