ticketsMember | Make a donation

Tankard

1700–1710
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 750
In 1698, Giles Shelley (1664–1710), a New York City merchant and sea captain, sailed in command of the ship Nassau for Madagascar, a favorite haunt of Captain Kidd and his pirates. Shelley returned to New York with a vast amount of treasure but, suspected of complicity with Kidd, he was arrested on a charge of piracy. He was later released and lived for many years, a wealthy and respected merchant. This tankard was probably presented to Shelley by the merchants who financed his enterprise. The handsomely engraved coat of arms is that of the Shelley family, and the scene on the cover depicts a thirty-two-gun ship, possibly the Nassau.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Tankard
  • Maker: Gerrit Onckelbag (baptized 1670–1732)
  • Date: 1700–1710
  • Geography: Made in New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Silver
  • Dimensions: Overall: 7 1/2 x 9 1/8 in. (19.1 x 23.2 cm); 38 oz. 17 dwt. (1208.2 g)
    Lip: Diam. 5 3/16 in. (13.2 cm)
    Base: Diam. 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm)
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Alphonso T. Clearwater, 1933
  • Object Number: 33.120.517
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Two-handled Bowl, Cornelius Kierstede American, Silver, American
Two-handled Bowl
Cornelius Kierstede
1700–1710
Basket, Myer Myers American, Silver, American
Basket
Myer Myers
1770–76
Tankard, Cary Dunn American, Silver, American
Tankard
Cary Dunn
ca. 1770
Tankard, Henricus Boelen American, Silver, American
Tankard
Henricus Boelen
1720–40
Tankard, Thomas Hamersley American, Silver, American
Tankard
Thomas Hamersley
ca. 1763

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.