Revere was a master goldsmith/silversmith and extant examples of his work are not hard to find. Like the vast majority of master craftsman in the era, he stamped his work once it was completed, as a form of advertising. And, like most silversmiths, he was versatile. He did everything from dinnerware to ceremonial items and even surgical instruments. He was also a skillful engraver and even worked for a time as a dentist. The Paul Revere House Museum claims his average income was around £85 a year (though you’re incorporating some wild year-to-year fluctuations into that), which would have made him quite comfortable in that era. We would probably call it upper-middle class today, though using such a term for the 18th century is problematic.

A little additional clarification: as a master silversmith, it meant Revere had worked almost his entire life in that medium; his father was a silversmith and Revere worked as an apprentice for his father beginning at age 13. Normally, at the completion of his apprenticeship (legally a minimum of seven years, but typically at age 21), he would have become a journeyman and continued to study under a master. This system was supported by tradesmen in towns to prevent excessive competition from destroying their livelihoods. However, Revere’s father died when Revere was around 20. The Revere silver shop now belonged to Paul. The one caveat was that he hadn’t reached legal age, so he couldn’t take full operating possession of his father’s shop. Instead, he joined the colonial forces supporting the British during the Seven Years War. When he returned, he became master of the family shop and married.

Revere was a very active individual. Beyond his celebrated political activism, he was a dedicated Freemason, an entrepreneur, and had a total of 16 children with 2 wives. Hell, he even served as coroner for a time. As an entrepreneur, he opened a hardware store, expanded into ironworking and built a foundry just outside of Boston after the Revolution, and developed a copper rolling mill. He finally retired in his mid-70s.

So, was he a good silversmith from an aesthetic standpoint? Honestly, I’m not an art historian, nor could I tell you which pieces he actually produced himself. As the master, his journeymen and any senior apprentices would have done the bulk of the work with him providing finishing touches and quality control. Certainly important or expensive orders would have had him intimately involved. He was a successful shop owner and a civic leader, which suggests a satisfied customer base and a good reputation.