Woodward & Grosjean Antique Coin Silver Butter Dish, Boston, MA, c. 1845-50

This is a stunning butter dish of wonderful quality and craftsmanship. The lower half is elevated on four legs terminating with foliate pad feet and connecting to the body with textured shell devices. The outer rim of the plain base, monogrammed 'MJC', has a simple bead ring for decoration. The interior of the rim has a raised ring that holds the floriform pierced strainer and supports the cover. Ornately executed cascading, exotic leaves with turned ends emanate from the top. This scene is of a pheasant standing on a branch amongst flowers, rocks and grass.

Jones, Ball & Poor was Boston's leading jeweler during this period; the partnership ultimately became Shreve, Crump & Low in 1869. Silver bearing the Jones, Ball, and Poor mark, as well as the actual maker's marks on items sold by the firm, is very uncommon. Boston items from the early 19th century are rarely found with maker's marks. It was traditional for both silver and furniture to be marked only by the retailer; this is why attributions of furniture and silver from this period can be so challenging.
For another butter dish we attributed to Woodward & Grosjean with similar decoration, see here. 

Woodward and Grosjean began in Boston around 1848 and moved to New York around 1851, where they became Grosjean and Woodward, a key supplier to Tiffany & Company.

This rare butter dish is marked underneath 'W&G.', JONES, BALL & POOR/ Pure Coin/ BOSTON.' It measures 5.75 inches in diameter by 5 inches high, weighs 14.80 troy ounces, and is in excellent antique condition.