$6,765
Silver Tankard, John Burt, Boston, Massachusetts, c. 1740, the turned and stepped domed lid over a tapered cylindrical body with applied band at lower body, the front with engraved inscription "The Gift of John Swan who Died/May 1 1743 AE 75 To his Son John Swan"; hollow scroll handle with scroll thumbpiece with a rounded drop at upper joining, maker's mark "JOHN/BURT" in a cartouche on the body to the right of the upper handle terminal, (minor imperfections), ht. 7 3/8 in. Note: John Swan (1668-1743) was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and moved to Stonington, Connecticut, c. 1703-06, where he and his wife Susanna Eastman Swan raised seven children. John (1700-1781), their first-born son, was presented the tankard on May 1, 1743. An early note accompanying the tankard drafted by John Swan's (1700-1781) grandson John (1788-1818) describes the life of John Swan (1688-1743), the original owner of this tankard: "when a Child had a little drum which he beat uppon when the indians attacted the house of his father as it was the mother of my grand father they wanted as they had murdered he first husband a taylor and one Child and they took her prisoner and kept her on year and ten months when he escaped in exchanging prisoners She came to haveril then Wido where she married this Crazy headed John Swan..."
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2015-10-25
