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Pitcher

Retailer Ball, Black & Co. American
ca. 1872
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 736
American silver holloware in the Egyptian Revival style is extremely rare. This stately pitcher incorporates Egyptian motifs into a classic form. The dynamic composition achieves a sophisticated expression of the prevailing taste for Egyptian-inspired designs. At the time this pitcher was created, the German-trained silversmith John Rudolph Wendt was Ball, Black & Co.’s primary designer and supplier, and the pitcher exemplifies the outstanding quality for which he is known. Located in a grand marble building boasting large display windows facing Broadway, Ball, Black & Co. was a leading silver retailer and a popular destination for shoppers and window shoppers alike.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Pitcher
  • Retailer: Ball, Black & Co. (American, New York, 1851–1874)
  • Date: ca. 1872
  • Geography: Made in New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Silver
  • Dimensions: Overall: 11 1/4 x 6 1/8 x 8 5/8 in. (28.6 x 15.6 x 21.9 cm); 39 oz. 16 dwt. (1237.9 g)
    Foot: Diam. 5 3/16 in. (13.2 cm)
  • Credit Line: Purchase, William Cullen Bryant Fellows Gifts, 2005
  • Object Number: 2005.10
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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