Silver has long been associated with childhood. To be born ‘with a silver spoon’ has a literal meaning. Silver spoons with decorative finials – apostles, lions or as shown here, a child’s head – were given as christening gifts. A gift of silver for a child was a store of wealth for the future. Nursery silver, pap boats, porringers, rattles and saucepans were used for their hygienic qualities.

Pap was a milk based baby food prepared like porridge but with eggs and flour. It was heated in a small saucepan in the nursery.