Artist/Maker

Campbell, John __Maker

Place Made

Date Made

1842

Medium

silver, gold, wood

Accession Number

5965

Description

Wood walking stick with gold handle and mounts, silver tip.

Engraved on the gold handle: “Dr. / Wm / Mc / Neill / Nashville. / May 17 / 1842.”

Stamped twice on silver tip with an intaglio “J.CAMPBELL” mark in a rectangular
reserve.

History

A ladle (Acc. 5728.12) is the only other example of Campbell’s silver currently in the museum’s collection.

Campbell engraved the gold handle of the walking stick for its first owner, Dr. William McNeill (1765-1844). McNeill was born in Massachusetts but relocated to Columbia, Tennessee in 1810 where he practiced medicine until
about 1840 when he moved to Nashville. The importance of the specific date engraved on the handle, May 17, 1842, is not known at this time but further research might reveal its denotation.

Credit Line

James H. Willcox Jr. Silver Purchase Fund