COFFEEPOT

The castings of the hinge, handle sockets, spout, and foot ring are nearly identical to those on three other extant Petrie coffeepots, including a highly-ornamented example in the MESDA collection.  Petrie constructed the bodies of his coffeepots out of sheet silver, which he joined in a vertical seam at the handle.  This production method was uncommon in America for this time period, as the use of sheet silver did not come in to wide use until the late-eighteenth century; however, British silversmiths had adapted this method by the early eighteenth century.  Petrie's adoption of emerging technology was a testament to his Scottish training and Charlestonian's taste for up-to-date British fashion.