Large silver pitchers became popular in America during the 19th-century when interest in classical art and archeology stimulated demand for neoclassical design. Each of these ewers, tall vessels for pouring water or wine, is based on an ancient classical form. The magnificent example, given by Philadelphia merchant banker James Cowles Fisher to his grandson Samuel Fox Fisher (1819 – 1886), features animal paw feet, a serpent handle encircling a dog’s head thumb piece, a dolphin finial, and borders inspired by architectural ornament. Fisher’s home, Sedgeley Park, was the first private residence designed by B. H. Latrobe.