According to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Monteith was a
17th century Scottish eccentric who wore a cloak with a scalloped hem.  A
"monteith" is defined as a large silver punch bowl with a scalloped rim.

Fascinating!

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Anne Fuhrman Douglas                      email: [log in to unmask]
Registrar                                 phone: 919-966-5736
Ackland Art Museum                        fax:   919-966-1400
The University of North Carolina
Campus Box 3400
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3400
USA

On Wed, 27 Sep 1995, Thomas Jefferson wrote:

> I am in search of information on the history of the monteith. I
> understand that the name comes from Scotland, but that is about
> the extent of my knowledge (other than for what they are used).
>
> I would appreciate any information available - especially, was
> there a person named monteith who invented this vessel? Please
> send your responses to me directly or the list as a whole.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Robin Gabriel
> Director of Education
> Monticello, The Home of Thomas Jefferson
> P.O. Box 316
> Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 (USA)
> (804) 984-9854          [log in to unmask]
>