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Lot Essay
An identical sauce boat also engraved with block initials M / I*I on the underside is in the collection of the New York Historical Society (Inv. No. 1970.54). Though purchased in 1970 as the work of New York silversmith Simeon Soumaine, the New York Historical Society reattributed it to Annapolis silversmith Samuel Soumaine in 2011 based on more recent research on the hallmarks.
Samuel Soumaine (c. 1718 - 1765) was born in to a French Huguenot family in New York, likely the nephew of renowned New York silversmith Simeon Soumaine (c. 1685 - c. 1750.). Samuel may have trained initially with his uncle, as evidenced by similarities in design between a coffee pot by Samuel sold from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords, Sotheby's, New York, 28-29 October 2004, lot 618, and one by Simeon in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Acc. No. 55.221). Samuel was recorded as working in Annapolis, Maryland by 1741 where his advertisements states that he sold hops, Madeira, and rum in addition to silver. He married Susanna Minskie in Annapolis in 1742, and is then recorded in Philadelphia by 1754.
Very few works by Samul Soumaine are known today. In addition to the sauce boat and two coffee pots previously mentioned, there are a pair of canns circa 1750 in the Baltimore Museum of Art (Obj. No. 1933.54.22 and 1933.54.23), originally acquired by Howard Sill from an Annapolis family, and a similar pair of canns in the collection of the Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia. A waiter in a Maryland private collection, a brandy warmer, and a third coffee pot are also recorded.
Samuel Soumaine (c. 1718 - 1765) was born in to a French Huguenot family in New York, likely the nephew of renowned New York silversmith Simeon Soumaine (c. 1685 - c. 1750.). Samuel may have trained initially with his uncle, as evidenced by similarities in design between a coffee pot by Samuel sold from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords, Sotheby's, New York, 28-29 October 2004, lot 618, and one by Simeon in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Acc. No. 55.221). Samuel was recorded as working in Annapolis, Maryland by 1741 where his advertisements states that he sold hops, Madeira, and rum in addition to silver. He married Susanna Minskie in Annapolis in 1742, and is then recorded in Philadelphia by 1754.
Very few works by Samul Soumaine are known today. In addition to the sauce boat and two coffee pots previously mentioned, there are a pair of canns circa 1750 in the Baltimore Museum of Art (Obj. No. 1933.54.22 and 1933.54.23), originally acquired by Howard Sill from an Annapolis family, and a similar pair of canns in the collection of the Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia. A waiter in a Maryland private collection, a brandy warmer, and a third coffee pot are also recorded.