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Compote Dish, Caroline County

From the USS Maryland Silver Service

Image of Compote Dish Caroline County




Maker: Samuel Kirk & Sons (1815-1979)
Object: Compote Dish, Caroline County
Date: 1906
Medium: Sterling Silver
Dimensions: Overall height, 4 1/2", Overall diameter, 10 1/8"; Diameter of base, 5"
Accession number: MSA SC 1545-0927-4

The USS Maryland silver service includes a total of four compote dishes representing Caroline, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, and Worcester Counties on the Eastern Shore. While the four scenes on each piece are unique to that particular county, the overall appearance of each compote is identical. The Great Seal and the cruiser are each surrounded by sprays of oak, chestnut, sassafras and linden. Oyster shells around the base connect the pieces to the Eastern Shore, and the rope borders symbolize the nautical theme of the service.

Caroline County was created in 1773 from Dorchester and Queen Anne's counties. It is named for Lady Caroline Eden, wife of Maryland's last colonial governor, Robert Eden, and daughter of Charles Calvert, Fifth Lord Baltimore. She was also the sister of Frederick Calvert, Sixth Lord Baltimore.

Scenes across the top (left to right):
1. (number 161)
The original portion of the historic house "Castle Hall" was built in c. 1781 by Thomas Hardcastle. The house is in the "telescope-form" with subsequent smaller additions. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Castle Hall, 1781
Castle Hall
2. Great Seal of Maryland
3. (number 164)
The courthouse shown on the silver compote dish was built on a site known as “Pig Point” and was constructed between 1793-97. It was patterned after Independence Hall in Philadelphia and was torn down in 1895 to make room for a new courthouse building.

[Old] Courthouse at Denton, 1797
[Old] Courthouse at Denton, 1797

Scenes across the bottom (right to left)
1. (number 162)
The Federal style historic house, Oaklawn was constructed c. 1781 by Benjamin Sylvester, a prominent landowner on the Eastern Shore. Reverend Greenbury W. Ridgely acquired the property in 1853 and was the first to name it “Oaklawn”. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Fort Cumberland
Oaklawm, 1783

2. USS Maryland Cruiser
3. (number 160)
The "Martin House" was one of the oldest buildings in Denton, Maryland and was torn down in 1895 after a fire.

Martin House, Denton
Martin House

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