Caddy spoon, oval bowl
Date1808-1809
Artist/Maker
Joseph Willmore
working ca 1805-died 1855
OriginEngland, Birmingham
MediumSilver (Sterling)
DimensionsOL: 2 7/8"; W of bowl: 1 1/4"
Credit LineGift of Mr. E. Palmer Taylor
Object number1998-81
DescriptionShort handle with rounded tip set at right angle to oval bowl. Handle with pricked engraved pear at tip; border with pair of prick engraved lines enclosing wriggle work foliage design. Bowl with circular checkerboard design in center enclosed in pair of prick engraved lines and wavy lines. Bowl with pierced edges. Pair of pricked engraved wavy lines around border below piercings.Label TextDuring the eighteenth century drinking tea was an important social custom in England and America. The practice of serving it required both distinctive manners and specific equipment. Because tea was a valued commodity, the leaves were stored in a locked tea caddy to prevent theft. Tea caddy spoons were often purchased separately to scoop the loose leaves from the caddy to the teapot. Although they are mostly thought of as silver objects, caddy spoons were also made of other materials such as ivory, mother-of-pearl, and tortoiseshell. These little spoons were mass produced during this time in various shapes including shells, leaves, and the eagle’s wing.Mark(s)lion passant; monarch's head; anchor; date letter "k"; maker's mark "J*W" in ovalProvenanceEx Coll: Mr. E. Palmer Taylor
