Military actions and issues regarding recruitment also were considered over drinks. Victories in battle were celebrated and losses lamented…
Punch bowl
Probably London, England; about 1760
Earthenware (delftware)
Gift of Mrs. Nancy du Pont Reynolds 2003.22.29
Called the Seven Years’ War by the English and the French and Indian War by colonists, this major conflict of 1756-63 arose between the British and the Bourbons in France and Spain partly because of international trade conflicts. At 
a time when America was still part of Britain, a bowl with the following inscription would have appealed to both the mother country and her colonies.
Rouse up Bold Brittons fam’d of Old
your powerfu’ll Arms advance
Nere let the Shamef’ull tale be told
you, Subjecks were to France
Recrues Angloia partant pour L’Amérique / Angliche Recruits going to America
France; 1780–90
Ink on laid paper
Museum purchase 1983.98.1
In this French satirical print, a drunken and disreputable-looking group of English military recruits—recently plucked from the “Poor Fortune” (Bad Luck) tavern—are presented to an officer. An English variation, titled Beating up for Recruits (London, 1790s), shows other British soldiers in front of a motley group of recruits, again pulled from a tavern. The same scene was printed on English cream-colored earthenware drinking mugs.
Flask commemorating the Marquis de Lafayette
James and Ralph Clews
Cobridge Works
Cobridge, Staffordshire, England; 1824–34
Earthenware (pearlware)
Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont 1958.1856
A scene entitled LANDING OF GEN. LA FAYETTE / At Castle Garden New York / 16 August 1824 was a popular printed scene on English pearlware and celebrated the French general’s support during the American Revolution. During Lafayette’s 1824 trip to America, he visited and was honored in each of the then 24 states. The flask shown here is perhaps the only pearlware example portraying this scene. It more often appears on dinner ware forms.
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