Paul Revere Coffee Pot

Sterling Silver Coffee Pot
Paul Revere
Circa 1775

This phenomenal and incredibly rare silver coffee pot by the legendary patriot Paul Revere is one of only six armorial coffee pots crafted before the Revolutionary War, and one of only four still in private hands. The other two are housed in the collections of the Worcester Art Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, making this coffee pot an extraordinary treasure. In terms of maker, quality and provenance, this coffee pot is the most significant American silver object available today.

The coffee pot bears the hallmarks of Revere’s exquisite craftsmanship at every turn. Revere was not only the preeminent silversmith in America—he was the only silversmith in the colonies capable of crafting a finished product from the silver ingot to a finished engraved treasure, all by himself. Perfectly balanced and adorned with such fine Rococo detailing as a fluted scroll spout rising from a shell and a flower spray cartouche, this coffee pot epitomizes Revere’s unmatched talent.

The pot also notably features Revere’s stamped maker’s mark and the original scratch weight of 40.1 troy ounces on the bottom of the pot. The average silver object made by the famed American would have weighed approximately five troy ounces, and his grand serving spoons averaged approximately two ounces each—making this coffee pot one of Revere’s most magnificent and monumental masterpieces.

Within the central cartouche, the monogram “MSS” appears, belonging to the prominent Dr. Micajah Sawyer (1737-1815). A distinguished Harvard graduate, Sawyer was well-known as the “celebrated physician of Newburyport.” Such an extraordinary object would have been a precious family heirloom, and this coffee pot remained in the Sawyer family until 1980, when it was sold to another American private collection, where it has remained until now. It was also prominently displayed at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for more than 30 years, from the 1980s until 2014.

Born in 1734 to a Huguenot silversmith, Paul Revere’s patriotism and his contribution to the American decorative arts are of inestimable value. He was immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, which tells of how he heroically rode through the countryside warning of the approaching British troops at the beginning of the American Revolution. This legendary event, along with his extraordinary work as a silversmith, has ensured a timeless legacy for Revere.

In 1768, on the eve of the American Revolution, Revere crafted the “Sons of Liberty Bowl,” now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Both before and after serving his country during the Revolution, Revere was at the forefront of American silver, producing elegant bowls, sauceboats and creamers. By far, his most important works are coffee pots, of which only 15 are listed in his records books, making this coffee pot the ultimate piece of Revere’s legacy.

Maker’s mark “Revere” stamped near the top of the handle

12 1/4″ high x 10″ wide x 5″ deep

42 ounces

Provenance:
Micajah and Sibyl Sawyer, Newburyport
Descended in the family until sold
Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, April 30—May 3, 1980, lot 184
Private Collection, United States

Literature:
Patricia E. Kane, Colonial Massachusetts Silversmiths and Jewelers, 1998, p. 812