Art Institute of Chicago

Punch Strainer

William Simpkins (American, 1704–1780)

Date

1743–60

Medium

Silver

Culture

Boston

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

By the mid-18th century, fashionable society in American began to rival the gentry in Europe and England. Popular entertainment included afternoon punch, and proper equipage such as punch bowls, ladles, and strainers, which were fashioned out of silver, became a necessity for the affluent patron who wished to impress guests. Traditionally, punch was made from five ingredients: water, sugar, lemon or other fruit juices, spices, and sprits (usually rum).

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