Chafing dish
Thomas Edwards
(American, 1701 or 1702–1755)
about 1740
Object PlaceBoston, Massachusetts
Medium/TechniqueSilver
Dimensions9.4 x 17.6 cm (3 11/16 x 6 15/16 in.)
Credit LineGift of Mary F. Sutherland
Accession number1991.778
On View
Not on viewClassificationsSilver hollowware
Collections
Originally one of a pair, this chafing dish and its mate may be those recorded as “2 Chaffing dishes 35 oz 15 dwt” in the 1787 estate of Isaac Smith, son-in-law of the original owners. The chafing dish joins its mate, which has been in the Museum’s collection since 1956. Stylistically, it resembles examples made by John Burt, several by Jacob Hurd, and one by John Potwine.
This text has been adapted from "Silver of the Americas, 1600-2000," edited by Jeannine Falino and Gerald W.R. Ward, published in 2008 by the MFA. Complete references can be found in that publication.
ProvenanceEbenezer Storer (1699 – 1761) and Mary Edwards (1700 – 1772), m. 1723; to their daughter Elizabeth Storer (1726 – 1786) and Isaac Smith (1719 – 1787), m. 1749. By descent to their son William Smith (1755 – 1816) and Hannah Carter (1764 – 1836), m. 1787; to their son Capt. Thomas Carter Smith (1796 – 1880) and Frances Barnard (1804 – 1885), m. 1831; to their daughter Frances Barnard Smith (1832 – 1916) and Thomas Davis Townsend (1826 – 1880), m. 1854; to their son Dr. Charles Wendell Townsend (1859 – 1934) and Gertrude Flint (about 1870 – 1917), m. 1891; to their daughter Margaret Townsend (b. 1894) and C. Hale Sutherland (b. about 1884), m. 1920; to their daughter Mary Flint Sutherland, the donor.
Lent in 1911 by Mrs. Charles W. Townsend to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and transferred to Mrs. Hale Sutherland in 1924, by descent to her daughter, the donor: Miss Mary Flint Sutherland.
Lent in 1911 by Mrs. Charles W. Townsend to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and transferred to Mrs. Hale Sutherland in 1924, by descent to her daughter, the donor: Miss Mary Flint Sutherland.
