Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
China, Room 44, The T.T. Tsui Gallery

Teaspoon

ca. 1935 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This teaspoon copies a European prototype. Westerners visiting China often bought silverwares because of their relatively low prices. With the growing number of Western firms trading in China since 1900 European-style objects began to appear in Chinese households as well. A set of silver spoons would have appealed to a wealthy Chinese eager to adopt a western life style.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, embossed and chased
Brief description
Embossed and chased silver teaspoon, one of a set of six, China, ca. 1935
Physical description
Embossed and chased silver teaspoon.
Dimensions
  • Bowl length: 10.5cm
Style
Credit line
Given by Pamela Marchant
Object history
Wedding present given to two Scots, Lieut Tom Marchant and Robina Bookless, who got married in Chongqing, west China, in 1935.
Summary
This teaspoon copies a European prototype. Westerners visiting China often bought silverwares because of their relatively low prices. With the growing number of Western firms trading in China since 1900 European-style objects began to appear in Chinese households as well. A set of silver spoons would have appealed to a wealthy Chinese eager to adopt a western life style.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
FE.549-2007

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Record createdJune 10, 2008
Record URL
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