Beaker

Noted collector Philip Hammerslough was probably the first to recognize the “G. Greenleaf” mark as being that of George Greenleaf of Newburyport, Massachusetts. Greenleaf may not have worked long at his craft, for he was listed as an “auctioneer” as early as 1813, the same year in which he advertised himself as a silversmith. By 1847 his occupation was recorded as “commission merchant.” A small number of objects survive with various marks that have been ascribed to Greenleaf. Of these, several beakers, a porringer, and some spoons carry the serrated “G. GREENLEAF” mark seen on this cup. Many of these items were owned by relatives of the craftsman or by Newburyport residents.

This beaker is similar to a pair that were engraved “A W,” thought by Hammerslough to represent Greenleaf’s father-in-law, Capt. Abraham Wheelwright. Its form is an updated version of the seventeenth-century tunn, a short barrel-shaped vessel that is easy to grasp.

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.