This pitcher is the most extravagant example of Rococo Revival silver with a Texas history. Its presentation inscription relates that Captain Thomas Forbes, upon arrival of his passenger boat in New Orleans, learned of an outbreak of yellow fever. He decided against disembarking and safely returned his passengers to Galveston. The pitcher, with its vigorous repoussé decoration, is impressive in its scale and ornament, but does not represent a special commission. Perhaps it was obtained through Joseph Osterman (1779–1861), a Galveston merchant and one of the three official presenters whose names are engraved below the inscription. Prior to his arrival in Galveston Osterman had worked in Baltimore as a silversmith and probably maintained business connections with that city. The other presenters were General Memucan Hunt (1807–1856) and Dr. Anson Jones (1798–1858), the last president of the Republic of Texas.

Technical notes: The pitcher is composed  of a foot rim, stem, body with a cast lip, and handle, which is not vented.

Related examples: Bartlett 1984, p. 37.

Book excerpt: David B. Warren, Michael K. Brown, Elizabeth Ann Coleman, and Emily Ballew Neff. American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection. Houston: Princeton Univ. Press, 1998.