A truly outstanding presentation coffee service made and marked by William Briggs of New York ca. 1850. Forgive the very long description but this set deserves it. I rarely would say something is of museum quality and rarity, but this set qualifies.
Each piece is inscribed in script:
Presented By the Members of
Polar Star Lodge No. 245 F.&A.M. [lodge founded 1852, Free and Accepted Masons]
Wor. Bro. Nehemiah Peck [Worshipful Brother: head of lodge]
As a Token of Respect & Esteem
N.Y.A.L. 5855.
The pieces are a large coffee pot (12 3/4" high to top of finial, 10 3/4" handle to spout, weight of 1,000 grams or 32.2 troy ounces), large 2-handled sugar with lid (10 1/2" to top of finial, 8 1/2" handle-to-handle, weight of 716 grams or 23.0 troy ounces), and a large milk pitcher (8" high, 6" lip-to-handle, weight of 396 grams or 12.7 troy ounces).
The underlying decoration is outstanding, with repousse grape and vine decoration, gnarled vine handles, grape apron below body, flat pedestal base with vine border, and pheasant finials on the pot and sugar lid.
The truly exceptional part of this set are the numerous (17!) repousse Masonic symbols across all three pieces. Here is the complete list:
Coffee Pot.
Front w/inscription: (1) all-seeing eye on lid, (2) winged hourglass above inscription, (3) 2-handled urn on base.
Back: (4) sun with face on lid, (5) 2 pillars with orbs on top and star in between on body, (6) square and compass on top of a book on base.
Sugar Bowl.
Front w/inscription: (7) quarter moon with face on lid, (8) 5-pointed star above inscription, (9) blazing star (comet with tail?) with Star of David within star on base.
Back: (10) group of eight 5-pointed stars on lid, (11) draped opening with 2 pillars and G in between on body, (12) heart on base.
Milk Pitcher.
Front under lip with inscription: (13) blazing star under lip.
Right side from inscription: (14) pouch with eye on flap on body, (15) trowel on base.
Left side from inscription: (16) gavel on body, (17) plumb and level on foot.
Condition: There is one large (1.25") dent on the coffee pot to the upper left of the inscription. There is a silverplated insert inside the foot of the milk pitcher presumably as part of repair but no sign of it on the exterior. The lid on the sugar bowl wobbles slightly on the body.
A truly magnificent set. Item 1071.