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Caddy Spoon

1831-1832 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A caddy spoon is a type of spoon for use in taking and measuring dry tea from a tea caddy, usually small enough to fit inside the caddy. English examples were developed in the mid 18th century when the Chinese tea bottle was superseded by the tea caddy, having an opening large enough to accommodate a small spoon to dispense and measure the tea and when the cover (the thimble top) was no longer used as a measure. Caddy spoons were always required to be hallmarked, being excluded from the exemption of the English act of 1790 relating to small articles.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, raised, fluted and engraved
Brief description
Silver, London hallmarks for 1831-2, mark of John, Henry and Charles Lias.
Physical description
Silver, oval bowl decorated with wavy fluting, plain, beaded and slightly curved handle with feathered edge.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1.5cm
  • Length: 10.9cm
  • Width: 3.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
Under handle: maker IL, HL, CL for John, Henry and Charles Lias, London hallmarks, duty, sterling, date ‘q’ for 1831-2, leopard. Scratch mark: 66X
Credit line
Given by J. H. Fitzhenry
Object history
Acquisition RF: Fitzhenry
Gift - Fitzhenry Collection
Subjects depicted
Summary
A caddy spoon is a type of spoon for use in taking and measuring dry tea from a tea caddy, usually small enough to fit inside the caddy. English examples were developed in the mid 18th century when the Chinese tea bottle was superseded by the tea caddy, having an opening large enough to accommodate a small spoon to dispense and measure the tea and when the cover (the thimble top) was no longer used as a measure. Caddy spoons were always required to be hallmarked, being excluded from the exemption of the English act of 1790 relating to small articles.
Collection
Accession number
1312-1902

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Record createdMarch 3, 2004
Record URL
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