Spencer Stafford
Tankard

Public Domain

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Retailer Spencer Stafford (American, 1772–1844)American, 1772–1844

CultureAmerican

Titles

Tankard

Datec. 1820–1827

Made inAlbany, New York, United States

MediumPewter

Dimensions6 3/4 × 6 3/4 × 5 in. (17.1 × 17.1 × 12.7 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Barbara E. Butler in memory of her husband, Dr. James J. Butler

Object numberB.2006.21

Current Location

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Murphy Room

On view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

METALWORK

DescriptionBorn in Massachusetts, Spencer Stafford and his family moved to Albany, New York, in 1783. Stafford was apprenticed to his brother-in-law from 1788 to 1792. He married Dorothea Hallenbake on September 7, 1790. In 1792 he moved to Deerfield for about a year. In 1794 he returned to Albany and advertised that he worked in metals. There he was a successful maker of tin plate and copper. During his career Stafford had several partnerships. Ledlie Irwin Laughlin states that there is no evidence that Stafford actually made pewter products but rather retailed the work of others. Marked by Spencer Stafford, this tankard is consistent with other New York examples, which retain their flat lid and show little concession to stylistic changes.
Provenance Research Ongoing Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Stamped on the interior base in a rectangle: "SSTAFFORD"

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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