I’m sipping from one of my novelty tea mugs as I write this update. Though I drink a hot Earl Grey nearly every morning, I never stopped to think about what I am drinking from (beyond joy at an odd cat mug, of course). At the start of my summer internship here at the Worcester Art Museum, I was assigned to study a silver tea service. I was skeptical at first: how much could I really learn from a teapot?
I began my research by examining the tea set, because the markings and physical appearance of an object can tell as much about it as written notes or the historical record. This silver tea service has three pieces: a teapot, a sugar dish, and a creamer. All three have squared handles, engraved decorations, and the initials “JW” inscribed in an oval medallion on one side.When I first set off to study the Moulton service, I had no idea how extensive and complicated a story it could tell. It has made me look closer at other silver and furniture pieces in the museum to imagine what stories they might carry as well…
Read Toni Armstrong’s full story on the Worcester Art Museum blog.
