Page 45 - Chinese Export Porcelain Art, MET MUSEUM 2003

Above and opposite exactly as he had anticipated, for he felt that
47. Punch Bowl. Chinese, ca. 1786-90. Hard paste. Diam. it was "difficult to regard it without smiling."
i6 in. (40.6 cm). Inscribed on the underside: Syngchong. The Cincinnati service, which was part of the
Gift of Lucille S. Pfeffer, 1984 (I984.449)
cargo on the Pallas, was quickly advertised
in the Baltimore newspapers, but only mem-
This extraordinary punch bowlfeatures remarkablyfaithful
a
dated December
replica of an engraved certificate, I785, issued to bers of that elite society would have been
Ebenezer Stevens (1751-I823) by the Society of the Cincinnati. ready buyers. Two substantial portions,
Stevens was a majorgeneral in command the New York totaling more than one hundred individual
of
of
artillery and was vice president of the New York branch the examples known today, were purchased in
society. The decorative mount on the rim and around
silver-gilt
1786 by Colonel Henry ("Light-Horse Harry")
thefoot wereprobably made during the early nineteenth century
Lee and by George Washington.
in response to an earlier crack-evidence the extent to which
of
the bowl was valued by its owner. A related bowl, apolychrome On subsequent trips Shaw commis-
version, was madefor Colonel Richard Varick Varick sioned more porcelain decorated with the
(i753-i83I).
waspresident of the New York branch of the society while Stevens emblem of the Cincinnati for himself (fig. 46)
was vice president. Although Varicks career was tar- and for friends. The large number of
military
nished on account his association with BenedictArnold, he
of
Cincinnati services shipped is a good indi-
later became Washington's confidential secretary mayor
and was
cation of the influence he wielded. Probably
of New Yorkfrom I789 to z80o.
persuaded by Shaw, other members, such
as Ebenezer Stevens of New York, requested
pieces decorated with motifs or emblems
relating to the society. One of the most

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