Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

ever thal English silver took com
aratively simple forms until the end
of the commonwealth. 1t became or
nate when Charles the Second assembled
the throne. He seemed to bring back
TO England with him ideas for such
elaborate ornaments which he had
during his exile
'Of course, I do not mean that Amer
lean silver of the colonial period lack ed
all ornaments. The old pieces show en-
cravings of elaborate coats of arms,
crcStS and inscriptions. But these
decorations were engraved on the sill
vCr merely, the metal was not en-
bossed.
Nor can | find in the early American
silver any appreciable trace of French in
fuence from the Huguenots who came
here in numbers. They had a deeper in
fiuence on the silver OF England. when
the same class found refuge there. The
Dutch. on the other hand, had q decided
influence on early American silver. 1t
may he noted in the presence of conven-
tlonal ornaments. These are fiat, how
ever. not embossed.
AS | come southwark from New Eng
land / note that the old silver becomes
more ornate. This fact is appreciate in
the specimens l nave seen thus far and
makes me all the more anxious to see
the old silver preserved in Maryland and
Virginia.
An interesting side light has been thrown
on the inspiration of the early American
silversniths by Mr.. Halsey. who is a
present preparing the Introduction to the
catalogue of the New York collection
The silver is of the period when the
ancient geometrical shapes held sway
among craftsmen" said Mr.. Halsey.
when purity of form, sense of proper
ton and perfection of line were preferred
to elaborateness of design, when dignity
and Solidity were considered superior to
bulk, and when the beautiful white metal
was allowed to take it's colors from its
surroundings rather than be made a
medium for the display of skill by work
ers in metal 1t is natural that this sill
yer should be fashioned after the types
then in vogue in England for the
cOlOnials gloried in the name of English
men and loved the customs of the old
country. Their long struggle with their
French neighbors on the north and their
hatred OF Popery. so clearly associated
with all things French and Italian
prompted no inclination to depart from
the fashions of old England.
The early American silver, as in the
case of our early architecture and furni-
ture, is thoroughly characteristic of the
taste and life of the period in America
Simple in design and substantial in
weight it reflects the classic mental at
titude of the people. Social conditions
here warranted no attempt to initiate the
magnificent baronial silver made in Eng
land. The communion silver recalls the
early history of our New England
churches and the devotion of the people
around which both political and social
life revolved. Its assemblage of tankards
beakers and cans. i'm no way resembling
the communion vessels of the Church of
England. reminds us of the adherence of
the domination of the established church,
which led to the settlement of New Eng
land
Although the museum will temporarily
be enriched by the assembling of this
collection here, it has nevertheless lost
one piece of old plate thereby At one
time there was on exhibition a silver bdp-
tismal basin, coming originally from Hol-
land in 1854, and closely connected with
the colonial history of New York This
was loaned the museum by the Colonial
Danes, but subsequently recalled by
them, and now forms part of the New
York collection.
The silver which will form the Wash
ington collection is loaned by various
churches and collectors for the purpose
of the proposed study and examination by
Mr.. Jones' As soon as Mr.. Jones has
comp leted his work the silver will be re-
shipped to the churches and collectors
There is at the present time in the mu-
scum here among the two cases filled
with specimens loaned by the Colonial
Danes, considerable amount of old do
mestic silver. which il is more than prob
able that Mr.. Jones will examine at the
same time he is studying the eccIesiastf-
cal collection. Among these pieces are
some the use of which is no longer def
nftely known. One, for instance. is
iadle-like spoon, down the center of the
bowl of (which is a latticed bridge 1t is
thought TO be a toddy spoon. the lattice
work being for the purpose of keeping the
seeds from entering the glass as the bev-
erage is being poured in, but it's true use
is not definitely known.