Spoon
1800-1850 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In the 17th century, sets of matching cutlery were still a novelty, and highly prized. The culture of the day demanded that they ‘should not be merely polished and abundant but also rare and distinct.’ It was the sign of a gentleman that he possessed cutlery made of unusual and valuable materials, and many knives, forks and spoons of this period have handles of agate, ivory, or other precious materials.
These sets were at first restricted to a single knife, fork and spoon, which were carried in a fitted case for the personal use of the owner. It was not until the early 18th century that sets of multiple pieces, provided by the host rather than the guest, began to appear. This set was originally described as 17th-century Italian when it was acquired by the Museum in 1854, but it is more likely that it was made later, perhaps not long before it was acquired.
These sets were at first restricted to a single knife, fork and spoon, which were carried in a fitted case for the personal use of the owner. It was not until the early 18th century that sets of multiple pieces, provided by the host rather than the guest, began to appear. This set was originally described as 17th-century Italian when it was acquired by the Museum in 1854, but it is more likely that it was made later, perhaps not long before it was acquired.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Handle and bowl of cloudy agate linked by silver-gilt filigree |
| Brief description | Spoon with bowl and shaft of cloudy agate, with shaft attached to bowl with silver-gilt filigree, possibly Germany, 1800-1850. |
| Physical description | Spoon with handle and bowl of cloudy agate with a silver-gilt filigree stem. |
| Dimensions |
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| Summary | In the 17th century, sets of matching cutlery were still a novelty, and highly prized. The culture of the day demanded that they ‘should not be merely polished and abundant but also rare and distinct.’ It was the sign of a gentleman that he possessed cutlery made of unusual and valuable materials, and many knives, forks and spoons of this period have handles of agate, ivory, or other precious materials. These sets were at first restricted to a single knife, fork and spoon, which were carried in a fitted case for the personal use of the owner. It was not until the early 18th century that sets of multiple pieces, provided by the host rather than the guest, began to appear. This set was originally described as 17th-century Italian when it was acquired by the Museum in 1854, but it is more likely that it was made later, perhaps not long before it was acquired. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1323E/3-1854 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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