e of American liberty]

[Illustration: POT OF SHEFFIELD PLATE, 18TH CENTURY

In the Metropolitan Museum]

[Illustration: SILVER POT BY EPHRAIM BRASHER

In the Clearwater Collection, Metropolitan Museum]

In the Halsey collection is shown a silver coffee pot by Samuel Minott,
and several beautiful specimens of the handiwork of Paul Revere, whose
name is more often connected with the famous "midnight ride" than with
the art of the silversmith. Of all the American silversmiths, Paul
Revere was the most interesting. Not only was he a silversmith of
renown, but a patriot, soldier, grand master Mason, confidential agent
of the state of Massachusetts Bay, engraver, picture-frame designer, and
die-sinker. He was born in Boston in 1735, and died in 1818. He was the
most famous of all the Boston silversmiths, although he is more widely
known as a patriot. He was the third of a family of twelve children, and
early entered his father's shop. When only nineteen, his father died;
but he was able to carry on the business. The engraving on his silver
bears witness to his ability. He engraved also on copper, and made many
political cartoons. He joined the expedition against the French at Crown
Point, and in the war of the Revolution was a lieutenant-colonel of
artillery. After the close of the war, he resumed his business of a
goldsmith and silversmith in 1783. Decidedly a man of action, he well
played many parts; and in all his manifold undertakings achieved
brilliant success. There clings, therefore, to the articles of silver
made by him an element of romantic and patriotic association which
endears them to those who possess them.

[Illustration: FRENCH SILVER COFFEE POT

Grand Prize, Union Centrale, 1886.]

Revere had a real talent that enabled him to impart an unwonted elegance
to his work, and he was famous as an engraver of the beautiful crests,
armorial designs, and floral wreaths that adorn much of his work. His
tea pots and coffee pots are unusually beautiful.

Revere coffee pots are to be seen in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts as
well as in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The Boston Museum of
Fine Arts has also a coffee pot made by William Shaw and William Priest
in 1751-52 for Peter Faneuil, the wealthiest Bostonian of his time, who
gave to Boston Faneuil Hall, New England's cradle of American liberty.

Among other American silversmiths who produced striking designs in
coffee pots, mention should be made of G.