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Brigadier General Jedidiah Preble Revolutionary War Teapot


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Here is a Teapot w/ sterling silver initialed cartouche that belonged to Revolutionary War U.S. Brigadier General Jedidiah Preble. This teapot was passed down from a Boston Family that I purchased from some time ago. It is made of tin, pewter & Sterling w/ wonderful stencils. The sailing ship is particularly attractive. The General was a seafarer before the war. He was also one of the most wealthy citizens of early colonial America.

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I believe it is English made soon after the Revolutionary War. There are no markings. I've not found an example produced by U.S. Whitesmiths. 

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I suspect your right on the English manufacture…maybe with an American engraving the initials? Spectacular piece thanks for sharing it!

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Yes, I think it is a work of art. It came w/ a letter from the early 20th c. talking about the General & the teapot on letterhead from The River Farm, Saunderstown, Rhode Island which I believe is a Museum today. On the bottom there was an adhered thick paper that explained who the teapot was attributed to, i.e., the General. The thick paper was brittle and fell off, curled up and broke in half. I could never be 100% certain it belonged to the General but the Initials are correct and it is a period piece. 

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  • 1 month later...

I was contacted by the senior curator of metalwork at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia. A friend had contacted them after seeing photos of this teapot. Williamsburg wants to add the teapot to their collection. I'll be sending the teapot for examination this Monday. The accessions committee meets on Feb. 3rd and will make a decision. I like the idea of something I owned being display there plus making a really big profit. 

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dhcoleterracina

I'd be happy to receive a fair price for an item I wanted to sell. I'm less enamored by the thought of it being on display in some museum. It may never be displayed, it may be sold or "de-acquisitioned" as they prefer to say.

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