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Eighteenth century punch bowls were never part of a dinner service, but would be ordered individually.  They were used extensively before and after meals and for special celebratory gatherings to hold hot or cold concoctions of hard liquor such as rum or brandy, beer or wine, and non-alcoholic beverages such as milk or tea, as well as sugar and citrus juices.  The word "punch" is from the Hindi "panch" meaning "five," for the five basic ingredients which comprised the drink.

This massive punch bowl is one of three recorded bowls with related decorations. A similar version is in the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum (Hartford, Connecticut).  According to the donors, AIHA's punch bowl once belonged to Daniel D. Tompkins (1774-1825), who was elected Governor of New York in 1807 and was re-elected in 1810, 1813, and 1816.  Tompkins was commander-in-chief of the New York militia during the War of 1812, and served as vice-president of the United States from 1817 to 1825.

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Punch Bowl
China, Jingdezhen
Porcelain, with overglaze enamels
c. 1765
AIHA Collection: Gift of Col. William Gorham Rice and his son, William Gorham Rice, Jr.

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