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Source Description
This teapot not only demonstrates Hurd's mastery of the art of forging silver, but of engraving it as well. The design for the coat of arms of the Gibbs family incised on this teapot was probably taken from Guillim's Display of Heraldry, published in 1724. In Hurd's portrait by Copley the words "Display of Heraldry/J. Guillim" are visible on the spine of the large book shown at the sitter's elbow.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
119326
label
Teapot
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
119326
contentType
object
title
Teapot
description
This teapot not only demonstrates Hurd's mastery of the art of forging silver, but of engraving it as well. The design for the coat of arms of the Gibbs family incised on this teapot was probably taken from Guillim's Display of Heraldry, published in 1724. In Hurd's portrait by Copley the words "Display of Heraldry/J. Guillim" are visible on the spine of the large book shown at the sitter's elbow.
date
c. 1755–60
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60779298
creators
33346
genreSpecific
Silver
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
with handle: 14.5 x 24.4 cm (5 11/16 x 9 5/8 in.)
cul
America
accession
1940.228
Source extras
tec
Silver, Wood
tombstone
Teapot, c. 1755–60. Nathaniel Hurd (American, 1730–1778). Silver, Wood; with handle: 14.5 x 24.4 cm (5 11/16 x 9 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Hollis French, 1940.228
collection
Decorative Arts
inscriptions
inscription
engraved: coat of arms of Gibbs on side.
didYouKnow
The master silversmith Nathaniel Hurd, whose portrait hangs nearby, made this teapot engraved with the crest of the family that commissioned it. Tea was a precious commodity in Colonial America and this silver piece would have held a place of honor at the owner's tea table.
citations
citation
Foote, Helen. "A Collection of Early American Silver Gift of Hollis French." <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art </em>27, no. 9 (November 1940): 131-142.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 135; Reproduced: p. 140
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook.</em> Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 332
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 153
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 153
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 196
citation
Johnston, Phillip M. <em>Catalogue of American Silver: The Cleveland Museum of Art</em>. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1994.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 89
citation
Adams, Henry. <em>What's American about American art?: a gallery tour in the Cleveland Museum of Art. </em>Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2008.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 41
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>The CMA Companion: A Guide to the Cleveland Museum of Art</em>. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2014.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 136
creditline
Gift of Hollis French
updatedAt
2026-05-29 06:09:50.918000
sourceId
119326
dept
Decorative Art and Design
coll
Decorative Arts
med
Silver, Wood
creatorTags
male
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
e3500e1b1b3e1a03