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William Swan

Strainer

Maker

William Swan (American, 1715-1774)

Culture

American

Title

Strainer

Year

ca. 1745

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

silver

Geography

Place Made: Worcester; Place Made: Massachusetts

Dimensions

27.3 cm (10 3/4 inches) (width) across handles

Signature / Inscription / Marks

Farr Tolman 1745

Marks: Swan

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

24.503

Type

Exhibition History

Trading Earth
Ceramics, Commodities, and Commerce
Apr 09, 2022 – Aug 03, 2025

Label copy

Much of the rum produced in colonial New England was consumed domestically, sometimes in punch, a popular celebratory, and often communal, drink. Believed to derive from the Sanskrit word pañca, meaning five, punch was made from water mixed with ingredients central to the era’s commercial shipping expeditions—citrus fruit, rum, sugar, and spices. Many Chinese porcelain punch bowls made for export to the West found their way to Providence through maritime activities known as the China Trade, which brought prosperity to many residents of the city.

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

William Swan (American, 1715-1774)
Strainer, ca. 1745
Silver
27.3 cm (10 3/4 inches) (width) across handles
Museum Appropriation Fund 24.503

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