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• Circa: Late 18th Century (Approx. 1770–1790) – Revolutionary War Era
• Dimensions: 7 inches Long × 5.5 inches Wide × Approx. 4 inches Deep
• Weight: Approx. 1 lb +
• Condition: Exceptional antique condition. Completely uncleaned with a rich, dark, original historic patina and natural verdigris highlights.
Why This Piece is a Definite 18th-Century Artifact:
• Authentic Interlocking \"Dovetail\" Cramp Seams: This vessel features premium, early 3-piece construction. The side walls and base are joined using hand-snipped, interlocking jagged teeth (cramp seams) that were hammered flat and brazed together with historical brass solder. This labor-intensive technique became entirely obsolete by the mid-19th century due to industrial factory rolling and welding.
• Hand-Hammered Repoussé & Chasing: The beautiful exterior decoration is not machine-stamped. It was manually hammered from the inside out (repoussé) using hand-driven punches over a soft pitch block. The interior perfectly mirrors the deep indentations of the exterior artwork.
• Planishing Hammer Marks: The interior floor and sides feature visible, small \\(\\frac{1}{4}-\\)inch circular planishing marks left behind by the coppersmith’s hammer as they hardened and smoothed the sheet copper over an iron stake.
• Hidden Iron Wire Rim: The non-magnetic copper lip is manually rolled over a heavy internal iron wire core for structural reinforcement. Authentic heavy red iron rust bleeding from beneath the lip edge confirms this hidden early construction element.
• Classical Motif Artwork: The high-relief decoration features distinctly Western European (likely French or English) classical motifs, including repeating Baroque-style scallop shells (coquilles), grape clusters, vine leaves, and central urn/pomegranate buds symbolizing abundance.
• Authentic Wear & Metal Reveal: A clean scratch on the very bottom reveals the bright, pinkish-gold tone of genuine, thick-gauge historic sheet copper.
This is a museum-grade primitive metalwork find that survived centuries without being ruined by modern chemical polishes or aggressive cleaning. A phenomenal center-piece for any early American, colonial-era, or European copper collection.
ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS CHECK PICTURES FOR CONDITION
