Coffeepot

This rococo silver coffee pot underscores the immense skill and training Black craftspeople undertook to produce marvelously ornate objects. Charleston silversmiths, such as Alexander Petrie, used white and enslaved labor to meet the growing demand for fine silver goods. Petrie taught Abraham the silversmith trade, and he participated in various shop activities, including creating Charleston-made silver. It is unclear when Petrie purchased Abraham, but his labor and mastery of skill ensured the success of Petrie’s shop. Despite Abraham’s success, little is known of him besides a record of his purchase for £810, a testament to his skill, by Charleston silversmith Jonathan Sarrazzin at Petrie’s 1768 estate sale. Listed on the same page as Abraham in Petrie’s estate inventory was “1 New Chased Coffee pott.” In this instance, it is possible that the creator was listed for sale alongside his creation.