The spout cup is a colonial drinking vessel believed to have been used by the infirm, although it has also been suggested that it was designed for frothy beverages such as posset and syllabub. The cup is shaped like a can with a spout that functioned like a straw attached at the base. For convenience, the handle was positioned at a right angle to the spout, and the cover prevented spillage, kept the beverage warm, and protected against insects. Judging from the number of extant examples, it was most common in Boston.

Technical notes: The cup is raised. The foot, handle, and finial are cast. The interior is pierced for the spout. The lid is attached with a three-part hinge. The finial is soldered on. Decorative engraving around the center point suggests a fleur-de-lis.

Related examples:  This spout cup is the only extant example of the form from John Burt's shop. One other hinged spout cup is recorded, perhaps inspired by covered cream pots, in Buhler 1972, vol. 1, p. 180, no. 144.

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.