As the mansion progressed, so did the acquisition of furnishings
suitable to its elegance. As early as 1742, doubtless in anticipation of
the new house, Mercer had bought from Hunter a "lanthorn," three
porringers, two cotton counterpanes at 27s., a plate warmer for 7s. 6d.,
a half-dozen plates for 3s. 6d., a half-dozen deep plates for 6s., a
dozen "Stone Coffee cups" for 18d., a dozen knives and forks for 3s.,
two tin saucepans at 4d. each, and "4 Dishes, 19-1/2 lib." (obviously
large pewter chargers). In 1743 he bought "5 gallon Basons 4/7" and "2
pottle Basons at 2/4" (for toilet use), "1 Soop Spoon 1/," and "1 Copper
Chocolate pot 7/6 & mull Stick 6^d," "2 blew & W^t Jugs 2/" (probably
Westerwald stoneware), and "1 Flanders Bed Bunt, 25" (colored cotton or
linen used for bedcovers).
In 1744 Mercer acquired from Charles Dick 4 candlesticks for a penny
each, 2 pairs of large hinges, a "hair sifter," "2 kitchen buck hand
knives," 12 cups and saucers for 2s., "1 milkmaid 2^d" (probably a
shoulder yoke), and "1 bucket 1/2^d." In 1745 a 5-gallon "Stone bottle"
for 3s. 6d., "1 doz. butcher knives," a hearthbroom, six spoons for a
shilling, a pair of scissors, "8 Chamberdoor Locks w^{th} brass knobs
£2," and "1 Sett finest China 35/, 2 punch bowls ... 2.7" were
purchased.
The following year Mercer paid a total of £23 for a silver sugar dish,
weighing 8 oz., 5 dwt.; one dozen teaspoons and tray, 8 oz., 7 dwt.; a
teapot and frame, 26 oz., 8 dwt. This lot of silver probably was bought
at second hand, having been referred to as "Pugh's Plate p^d Edw^d
Wright as by Rec^t." He paid John Coke, a Williamsburg silversmith, £1
6s. for engraving and cleaning it. In the meanwhile, in 1745, he had
sold Coke £6 worth of old silver. He also sold a quantity of "old Plate"
for £15 17s. 3d. to Richard Langton in England through Sydenham &
Hodgson. In 1747 he made a large purchase of silver from the silversmith
William King[99] of Williamsburg:
oz. dwt. £ s. d.
May 1747
By Bernard Moore for 1 Cup 51 1 30 8 3