Robert Sanderson

  General notes:

Silversmith

  Events in his life were:

• Apprenticed from 1626 to 1635 to William Rawlins in London England ¹

• Sanderson's mark was registered at Goldsmith's Hall in London in 1635, but he left soon after for the colonies. He was one of the first settlers in Hampton, New Hampshire. After three years he moved to Watertown, Massachusetts and from there to Boston. ³

• Made freeman of Hampton, , NH, 7 Sep 1639. ³

• He was a partner from circa 1652 to 1683 with John Hull in Boston MA as HULL & SANDERSON. The earliest known piece of American silver is a dram cup made by the partners, now in the Yale University Art Gallery. The partnership orginally began after Hull was appointed Mint Master and recommended Sanderson as his partner. Sanderson came to Boston and was admitted as an inhabitant on 30 May 1653. ³

• Master to Joseph Sanderson 1653 in Boston MA. ¹

• Cup by HULL & SANDERSON, c 1660
Private Collection
h: 6 7/8"
wt: 10 oz
Engraved B over R A for Richard and Alice (Blower) Brackett.

• Master to Benjamin Sanderson abt 1662 in Boston MA. ¹

• Master to Robert Sanderson abt 1665 in Boston MA. ¹

• Tankard, c 1670-1680
Boston Museum of Fine Arts ⁸
h: 8 3/16"
d: 6 5/8" (base)
wt: 41 oz, 11 ½ dwt
Made for Isaac and Mary (Balston) Vergoose. Only tankard known from the first generation of American smiths.

• Cup, c 1675
Winterthur Library
h: 4½"
d: 4¾" (of top)
Engraved S over T A for Thomas and Anne (Tyng) Shepherd.

Robert married Mary Cross about 1641 in Hampton NH. (Mary Cross was born about 1607 in Hampton NH and died on 21 Jun 1681 in New Haven CT.)