Beaker

Museum Object Number 1964.1160

Object Name

Beaker

Category

Metals

Credit Line/Donor

Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont

Creator (Role)

Ashbil Griswold (Maker)

Creator Notes

Ashbil Griswold trained in Thomas Danforth III's shop from about 1798/9 to 1805/6, and possibly worked for Danforth for a year after his apprenticeship was complete, selling pewter in the Baltimore area. In 1808, it appears that Griswold moved to Meriden, Connecticut and established his own shop. Over the next thirty years his shop became larger than all others in Connecticut, save the Boardmans's business in Hartford. By 1830 the shop employed twelve men. Ira Couch was taken into the business as a partner. Many other britannia makers were trained in this shop. Griswold made inexpensive cups in large quantities through the 1820's and 1830's (Mongtomery, p.72). For more on Ashbil Griswold's marks, see C. Jordan Thorn, Handbook of American Silver and Pewter Marks (1949), p.258; Carl Jacobs, Guide to American Pewter (1957), p.101-102; Ebert, Collecting American Pewter (1973), p.132; and Montgomery, History of American Pewter (1973), p.222. See also John Carl Thomas, Connecticut Pewter and Pewterers (1976), p.165-166; Laughlin, Pewter in America (1981), vol.1, p.127-128; J.B. Kerfoot, American Pewter (1942), p.133-134

Date of Birth

04//1784

Date of Death

05/30/1853

Place of Origin

Meriden, Connecticut, United States, North America

Date

1807-1835

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Mark; Underside of base; "A.G" in rectangle, stamped

Materials

Pewter; Britannia metal

Dimensions (inches)

3 (H) , 2.937 (Diam)

Dimensions (centimeters)

7.62 (H) , 7.46 (Diam)

Object Description

Text available soon.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Montgomery, Charles F. 1973 A History of American Pewter.
• Published: fig. 4-23, p. 71-72