Sons of Liberty Bowl
Paul Revere1768
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Boston, MA, United States
The Liberty Bowl honored ninety-two members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives who refused to rescind a letter sent throughout the colonies protesting the Townshend Acts (1767), which taxed tea, paper, glass, and other commodities imported from England. This act of civil disobedience by the "Glorious Ninety-Two" was a major step leading to the American Revolution. The bowl was commissioned by fifteen members of the Sons of Liberty, a secret, revolutionary organization to which Revere belonged; their names are engraved on the bowl as are references to Englishman John Wilkes, whose writing in defense of liberty inspired American patriots. The Liberty Bowl, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution have been called the nation's three most cherished historical treasures.
- Title: Sons of Liberty Bowl
- Creator Lifespan: 1734 - 1818
- Creator Nationality: American
- Creator Gender: Male
- Date Created: 1768
- Physical Dimensions: w279 x h140 mm
- Type: Silver hollowware
- Rights: Museum purchase with funds donated by contribution and Francis Bartlett Donation of 1912. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.
- External Link: http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/sons-of-liberty-bowl-39072
- Medium: Silver
- Inscription: Engraved in script below the rim "Caleb Hopkins, Nathl Barber, John White, Willm Mackay, Danl Malcom, Benjm Goodwin, John Welsh, Fortescue Vernon, Danl Parker, John Marston, Ichabod Jones, John Homer, Wilm Bowes, Peter Boyer, Benja Cobb." On one side in a bright-cut circle with a scroll and foliate frame topped by a Liberty Cap flanked by flags inscribed, respectively, "Magna / Charta" and "Bill of / Rights" is "No 45. / Wilkes & Liberty" over a torn page labeled "Generall Warrants."On the opposite side, a Liberty Cap in a wreath is centered above horizontal and longer vertical leafy scrolls partly enclosing the famous inscription, "To the Memory of the glorious NINETY-TWO: Members / of the Honbl House of Representatives of the Massachusetts-Bay, / who, undaunted by the insolent Menaces of Villains in Power, / from a Strict Regard to Conscience, and the LIBERTIES / of their Constituents, on the 30th of June 1768, / Voted NOT TO RESCIND."There is no lower line for the frame but a vertical device of conjoining open loops in below "TO." Beginning at the right of this scroll has been added since 1875 in script and block letters: "This BOWL commemorative of Events prior to the American Revolution, was purchased of the Associates whose names are inscribed upon its surface, by Wm MACKAY, one of their number, from whom upon the demise of the latter, in Feby 1832, it became the property of Wm MACKAY, his Grandson in direct line, a Resident of the City of New York."In small script beginning under City: "The Associates were Citizens of Boston." On the bottom above the center point: "at whose death in 1873, it / passed into the hands of his / Brother Robt C. MACKAY on Mar. 11, 1902 / transferred it to MARIAN LINCOLN PERRY / of Providence, Rhode Island / a great great grand-daughter of JOHN MARSTON / one of the fifteen associates."
- City, state, country: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- By: Paul Revere, Jr.
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