Plate

  • Category:

    Metals

  • Creator (Role):

    Thomas Melville (Maker)

    Samuel Melville (Maker)

  • Place of Origin:

    Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, New England, United States, North America

  • Date:

    1793-1800

  • Materials:

    Pewter

  • Techniques:

    Cast

  • Museum Object Number:

    1956.0059.013


  • Complete Details



Object Number

1956.0059.013

Object Name

Plate

Category

Metals

Credit Line/Donor

Gift of Joseph France

Creator (Role)

Thomas Melville (Maker)
1779-11/24/1824
This Thomas Melville was the nephew of the other Thomas Melville record in KE. This Thomas Melville's uncles, Thomas (elder) and Samuel Melville took over their brother David's business upon the latter's death in 1793, and probably continued to use David's dies and marks. This supposition is supported by the survival of pieces stamped with David's marks that bear the initials "S.M." and "T.M." on the handle or handle support. The Newport Mercury for December 31, 1793 advertised that Samuel and Thomas (elder) were doing business as pewterers at the shop owned by Mrs. Carr, at the corner of the Ferris Wharf. This was five weeks after their brother's death. Thomas (elder) seems to have died in 1796. Samuel appears to have continued in business with David's son, Thomas (younger). On January 12, 1796, Thomas (younger) advertised his business in "the House and Shop just above the Church on the Hill, formally occupied by his Father, David Melville, deceased"; he was not yet seventeen years old. Thomas married Clarissa Dean of Taunton in 1800. Thomas's brothers Andrew and William also worked as pewterers (Laughlin, vol.1, p.94-95). For more on the Melville family marks, see C. Jordan Thorn, Handbook of American Silver and Pewter Marks (1949), p.268; Ebert, Collecting American Pewter (1973), p.138; Carl Jacobs, Guide to American Pewter (1957), p.134-138; and Montgomery, History of American Pewter (1973), p.225. See also Laughlin, Pewter in America (1981), vol.1, p.92-94.

Samuel Melville (Maker)
1760
Samuel Melville and his brother Thomas took over their brother David's business upon the latter's death in 1793, and probably continued to use David's dies and marks. This supposition is supported by the survival of pieces stamped with David's marks that bear the initials "S.M." and "T.M." on the handle or handle support. The Newport Mercury for December 31, 1793 advertised that Samuel and Thomas were doing business as pewterers at the shop owned by Mrs. Carr, at the corner of the Ferris Wharf. This was five weeks after their brother's death. Samuel married Rhoda Spooner in 1785. It seems that Samuel worked first with his brother Thomas (elder), who died in 1796, and then with David's son, Thomas (younger) from 1799 to 1800 (Laughlin, vol.1, p.92-94). For more on Samuel (and his family's) marks, see C. Jordan Thorn, Handbook of American Silver and Pewter Marks (1949), p.268; Carl Jacobs, Guide to American Pewter (1957), p.134-138; Ebert, Collecting American Pewter (1973), p.1367-138; and Montgomery, History of American Pewter (1973), p.225. See also Laughlin, Pewter in America (1981), vol.1, p.92-94.

Place of Origin

Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, New England, United States, North America

Date

1793-1800

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Mark; Underside, center; flowerette "ME" in arched beaded, over florettes surrounding shield enclosing anchor, stamped, mark mostly effaced
2. Mark; Underside, center; "MELVIL" in arched beaded, over florettes surrounding shield enclosing anchor, stamped, mark mostly effaced
3. Mark; Underside, center; Sideways ampersand over a "T" on textured ground in square with serrated edges, stamped, left edge effaced
4. Mark; Underside, center; "M" framed by diamonds on textured ground in square with serrated edges, stamped
5. Mark; Underside, center; pendant sheep on a chain (Golden fleece) on textured ground in square with serrated edges, stamped, partly effaced
6. Mark; Underside, center; eight petaled flower with a center on textured ground with serrated edges, stamped, slightly effaced

Materials

Pewter

Techniques

Cast

Dimensions (inches)

0.748 (H) , 8.661 (Diam)

Dimensions (centimeters)

1.9 (H) , 22 (Diam)

Object Description

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