Object Number 1965.2496

Object Name

Porringer

Category

Metals

Credit Line/Donor

Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont

Creator (Role)

Josiah Danforth (Maker)
06/03/1803-05/11/1872
Josiah Danforth is the great-grandson of Thomas I; grandson of Thomas II; son of William; nephew to Thomas III, Joseph Sr, Edward, Jonathan, and Samuel (of Middletown); cousin to Joseph Jr; great-nephew of John (of Norwich). Nineteen members of the Danforth family, spread over five generations, became invovled with manufacturing pewter or britannia. Josiah probably trained with his father, William, starting in about 1817. Only three years later, William died and Josiah took over at the age of eighteen, hiring Thomas S. Derby. It appears that Josiah leaked the formula for Danforth britannia to Derby, who was then hired away by Charles and Hiram Yale of Wallingford. In 1837, Josiah sold his shop and tools to the new firm Graham and Savage. By 1841 he and Ephraim Crofoot were operating as J. Danforth & Co., which produced britannia goods. In 1845, he bought a shop for manufacturing trusses and by about 1850 was involved with that industry under the name Cooley and Danforth. For more on Josiah Danforth's marks, see Carl Jacobs, Guide to American Pewter (1957), p.67-70; C. Jordan Thorn, Handbook of American Silver and Pewter Marks (1949), p.249; Ebert, Collecting American Pewter (1973), p.128-130; Kauffman, The American Pewterer (1970), p.139; and Montgomery, History of American Pewter (1973), p.219. See also John Carl Thomas, Connecticut Pewter and Pewterers (1976), p.50-145; Laughlin, Pewter in America (1981), vol.1, p.117-118 and vol.3, p.75-77. Previous cataloguer listed active dates as 1817-1837 and 1841-1846 (M. Huff 2006).

Place of Origin

Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut, New England, United States, North America

Date

1821-1843

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Mark; Top center of handle; "DANFORTH / D. CT." stamped in a serrated circle with an American eagle at the center with spread wings and a shield body.

Materials

Pewter

Techniques

Cast

Dimensions (inches)

1.772 (H) , 7.48 (W) , 5.118 (Diam)

Dimensions (centimeters)

4.5 (H) , 19 (W) , 13 (Diam)

Object Description

Text available soon.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Montgomery, Charles F. 1973 A History of American Pewter.
• Published: fig. 9-1 and 9-2 (handle bracket), pp.146-148