sugar and chocolate (left)

shelf 3 (left)

Sugar found its way into many desserts, including pies, rich custards and puddings made with cream and eggs, and ice cream, which was quite a novelty in the 1700s. Used to cut and seal the dough of pie crusts, pie crimpers were carved from marine ivory by sailors on whaling ships. The names of the makers of these wares, especially the men of color, are, unfortunately, often unknown. However, the example on the left is believed to have been made by Shubael Lewis of Tisbury, Massachusetts, whose skin was identified as “dark” on whaling crewmen lists, which noted each sailor’s age, height, and eye, hair, and skin color.

 

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A ceramic pudding mould that is cream colored and is curved with inset floral and bow decorations.

Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, English, 1759–present

Pudding or Jelly Mold, early 1800s

Earthenware with glaze

Gift of Mrs. Georgie Elms 22.217

A white creamware custard cup, with a sculptural swirled handle, and lid with sculpted finial.

English

Creamware Custard Cup with Cover, ca. 1780

Earthenware with glaze

Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke 24.512

A sculpture of a figure in historical clothing and a table, a sack, and broken egg shells. The ground is brightly colored red, brown, and green.

Johann Wilhelm Lanz, German, active 1755–1761

Man Breaking Eggs, ca. 1757–1759

Porcelain with enamels and glaze

Bequest of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich 55.181.2

An ivory pie crimper with a decorative handle and a textured wheel. There are letters on the part attaching the wheel to the handle.

American

Pie Crimper or Jagging Wheel, 1773

Marine ivory and metal

Gift of Miss Eliza A. Peckham 14.436

An ivory pie crimper with a decorative handle and a textured wheel. The handle has a cutout in the middle of it.

Shubael Lewis, American, active early 1800s

Pie Crimper or Jagging Wheel, early 1800s

Marine ivory and metal

Gift of Miss Edith H. Williston 21.268

A white porcelain icecream pail with dragons and bugs decorations, there are two sculptural handles that are figure’s heads, the lid has a sculptural finial.

Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, German, 1710–present

Adam Friedrich von Löwenfinck, German, 1714–1754

Ice Cream Pail, 1727–1736

Porcelain with glaze, enamel, and gilding

Anonymous gift in honor of Houghton P. Metcalf, Jr. 2020.9

A porcelain covered cup with a sculptural swirled handle and blue architectural, floral, and scenic decorations.

Chinese (for export)

Cup with Cover, ca. 1800

Porcelain with underglaze blue and glaze

Museum Collection INV2014.4

Jasperware custard cup with cover, the entire vessel and lid has a raised woven texture. The handle is sculptural and swirled.

Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, English, 1759–present

Jasperware Custard Cup with Cover, ca. 1800

Stoneware

Gift of Rose and Seymour Cohen 2002.59.9