Porringers Photos

A porringer is a small shallow round bowl with one or two lacework flat handles used to eat porridge, broth or gruel. They were popular in the 16th & early 17th century and examples in museums are usually made of silver or pewter. The word porringer is also sometimes applied to the serving bowls from which servings were transferred to the individual bowls. Bleeding bowls used for medical blood letting are of similar design and often mislabeled as porringers. As they are hard to tell apart, we include some on this page. However, if the bowl has measuring lines inside, they were probably for bleeding.

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Porringers from RI & MA at RISD Museum. Providence, RI.Porringer from Mt. Vernon & silver cup which Peter family at Tudor Place. Washington, DC.Silver porringer & spoon by John Edwards of Boston at DAR Memorial Continental Hall Museum. Washington, DC.American silver porringer by John Burt at Memorial Art Gallery. Rochester, NY.
Porringers (ranging 1720-1887) from RI & MA at RISD Museum. Providence, RI.Porringer from Mt. Vernon & silver cup which Peter family at Tudor Place. Washington, DC.Silver porringer (1690-1700) & spoon (c1730) by John Edwards of Boston at DAR Memorial Continental Hall Museum. Washington, DC.American silver porringer (c1730) by John Burt at Memorial Art Gallery. Rochester, NY.
Silver porringer of Joseph and Love Macy Rotch by Jacob Hurd of Boston at Rotch-Jones-Duff House. New Bedford, MA.Porringer at Old Stone House. Washington, DC.Silver porringer by Jacques Varin of Montreal at Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto, ON.Silver tankard & Porringer both by John Coney of Boston, MA at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.
Silver porringer (1740-50) of Joseph and Love Macy Rotch by Jacob Hurd of Boston at Rotch-Jones-Duff House. New Bedford, MA.Porringer at Old Stone House. Washington, DC.Silver porringer (c1765-85) by Jacques Varin of Montreal at Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto, ON.Silver tankard (c1690-99) & Porringer (c1705) both by John Coney of Boston, MA at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.
Early American table object including silver tankard, beaker & porringer in Murphy room at Bayou Bend. Houston, TX.Collection of American silver from Boston at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.Porringer on table in Common Room at Jacques Cartier Manor House Museum. St Malo, France.Pewter bleeding dish as used by barbers from Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Early American (c1620-1730) table object including silver tankard, beaker & porringer in Murphy room at Bayou Bend. Houston, TX.Collection of American silver from Boston at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.Porringer on table in Common Room at Jacques Cartier Manor House Museum. St Malo, France.Pewter bleeding dish as used by barbers (18thC) from Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Silver bleeding dish? by James Ker of Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.English pewter bleeding bowl with measuring lines at Hunterian Museum. Glasgow, Scotland.Silver porringer by William Law of Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Silver porringer & covered dish by Alexander Reid of Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Silver bleeding dish? (1729-30) by James Ker of Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.English pewter bleeding bowl (c1720-50) with measuring lines at Hunterian Museum. Glasgow, Scotland.Silver porringer (1675-7) by William Law of Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Silver porringer & covered dish (1682-3) by Alexander Reid of Edinburgh at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Silver 'Dopping' porringer by John Phillips of Dublin at Ulster Museum. Belfast, Northern Ireland.Covered silver porringer from London at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.Silver covered spout cup by Samuel Edwards of Boston, MA at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.Porringer & porringer or bleeding bowl both of English delftware from London at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.
Silver 'Dopping' porringer (1685) by John Phillips of Dublin at Ulster Museum. Belfast, Northern Ireland.Covered silver porringer (1662) from London at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.Silver covered spout cup (c1733) by Samuel Edwards of Boston, MA at Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH.Porringer (1673) & porringer or bleeding bowl (1680-1710) both of English delftware from London at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.
Cooke-Thompson family bowl & unknown family porringer earthenware from England at Pilgrim Hall Museum. Plymouth, MA.Porringer from England found in Bland House well in Jamestown National Park Museum. Jamestown, VA.

Cooke-Thompson family bowl & unknown family porringer (1675-1700) earthenware from England at Pilgrim Hall Museum. Plymouth, MA.Porringer (c1680) from England found in Bland House well in Jamestown National Park Museum. Jamestown, VA.

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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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