Metals
Timothy Bridgen (Maker)
Spencer Stafford (Retailer)
Albany, New York, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America
1816-1819
Pewter
Cast
1955.0048.041
Object Number1955.0048.041 |
Flagon
Metals
Gift of Charles K. Davis
Timothy Bridgen (Maker)
08/14/1774-1819
Timothy Bridgen might have apprenticed as a silversmith. His family moved from Middletown, Connecticut to Albany, New York by 1813, where Bridgen was listed in the Directory as a silversmith in 106 Beaver Street. He also sold pewter. By 1816, he had changed his profession to pewterer.
For more on Timothy Bridgen's marks, see Carl Jacobs, Guide to American Pewter (1957), p.47; Montgomery, History of American Pewter (1973), p.218; Ebert, Collecting American Pewter (1973), p.126; Kauffman, The American Pewterer (1970), p.136; and C. Jordan Thorn, Handbook of American Silver and Pewter Marks (1949), p.242. See also Laughlin, Pewter in America (1981), vol.2, p.31-32.
Spencer Stafford (Retailer)
05/10/1772-02/10/1844
Laughlin, Pewter in America, Volume II, pp. 31-32 discusses Stafford. An image of Stafford is on PL. VII.
Born in Massachusetts, his family moved to Albany in 1783.
Stafford was apprenticed to his brother-in-law from 1788 to 1792.
He married Dorothea Hallenbake on September 7, 1790.
In 1792 he moved to Deerfield for about a year.
In 1794 he returned to Albany & advertised that he worked in metals.
During his career Stafford had several partnerships.
Laughlin states that there is no evidence that Stafford actually made pewter products but rather retailed the work of others.
Albany, New York, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America
1816-1819
1. Mark; Base, inside; "T.B." in a circle with sawtooth edge
2. Mark; Bottom, outside; "S.STAFFORD" in rectangle, stamped
Pewter
Cast
10.374 (H) , 9.374 (W)
26.35 (H) , 23.81 (W)
Text available soon.
[Book] Montgomery, Charles F. 1973 A History of American Pewter.
• Published: fig. 4-43, pp. 86-87