The Tale of the Monnett Coffee Pot

An Heirloom Comes Home:

Melvin Monnett's Presentation Water Pitcher Set

Monnett Coffee Urn, Full Size on www.monnettgenealogy.com

The Melvin Monnette water pitcher set - a standard sized modern coffee mug provides an idea on the size of the piece.

On August 8, 1882, Madison Welsh Monnett presented his twin brother Melvin with a silver plate water pitcher set (see image at left) commemorating their mutual 31st birthday. The Reed & Barton urn was engraved "To M.H. Monnett from M.W. Monnett, August 8, 1882." Items such as these were commonly found in higher income households and were used primarily as decoration on Victorian sideboards, although they were used to serve beverages as well.

The set sat in Melvin's mansion (a.k.a. The Big Brick) until Melvin and his wife sold the property around 1893, and then the set made the move with the couple back to the old Abraham Monnett farmstead. From there, the set followed Melvin & Ella Monnette to the Indianapolis Indiana area where they relocated briefly, before moving onto California around 1912. Evidently, the set was sold in Indiana prior to the move, and then resold at a Sheriff's sale in the 1930's where it was purchased by an antique dealer who packed it away until his estate's sale in the summer of 2001. Repurchased by another antique's dealer, the item was listed on eBay in the fall of 2001, where it was repurchased by a member of the Monnett family.

The set includes the silver plate pitcher shell, cradle (double yolk), drip pan and ceremonial drinking cup and the original "Reed & Barton" yellowware "ice" liner as well as the silver plate alcohol burner and wool wick.

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