In seventeenth- and eighteenth-century America, the tankard was defined as "a large vessel with a cover, for strong drink," such as beer, ale, or hard cider. Silver examples varied greatly in size, from small tankards made for individual use to more capacious ones that held as many as four quarts to be passed from hand to hand around the table.

This tankard by Henry Hurst-one of only three known objects bearing his mark-is largely typical of Boston examples made in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, but the Swedish-style embossed fruit and foliage on its handle are extraordinary, perhaps even unique in American silver, because most American handle decoration is cast.

Hurst was born in Sweden, probably trained in Stockholm in the 1680s, and apparently worked as a journeyman in London in the 1690s. At the end of the century, Richard Conyers, a Boston goldsmith, contracted with Hurst to emigrate to America as his exclusive employee for two years, apparently recognizing Hurst's great skill in the specialty of chasing and embossing. Hurst and Conyers soon had a falling-out, and Hurst broke his contract. He then went to work in 1701 and 1702 for Edward Winslow. He may have been responsible for the elaborately chased sugar boxes that were produced in Winslow's shop at that time (see 42.251).

This text was adapted from Ward, et al., MFA Highlights: American Decorative Arts & Sculpture (Boston, 2006) available at www.mfashop.com/mfa-publications.html.

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