Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 125b

Teaspoon

1850-1851 (hallmarked)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
Teaspoons evolved in the late 17th century as spoon types generally became more diverse. They could be purchased as part of a large canteen of cutlery or in boxed sets.

Food & Drink
The idea of a formal afternoon tea, taken by family and friends at about 4 o'clock, emerged as people began to dine later in the evening. In the mid-18th century fashionable society dined between 3 and 4 o'clock, but by the early 19th century 7 or 8 o'clock was the rule. Afternoon tea provided welcome refreshment and an added social engagement between lunch at 1 o'clock and the later dinner hour. Apart from tea, thin bread and butter, cake and fresh fruit would be offered. Tea could also be served at other afternoon events, such as the more elaborate 'at home' teas, which combined refreshment with entertainment, or at a later, more substantial 'high tea'.

Design & Designing
The pattern of this teaspoon is a variation of the King's Husk design, customised for the Earl of Kintore with the family crest and motto. The spoon would have been part of a specially commissioned cutlery set.

Manufacturer
The manufacturer of the teaspoon, Hunt and Roskell, was one of the most prestigious silversmiths of the Victorian period. The partnership lasted from 1843 to 1897 and exhibited at the major international exhibitions of the period.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, with cast bowl and handle
Brief description
Teaspoon, silver, London hallmarks for 1850-51, mark of Hunt & Roskell.
Dimensions
  • Length: 14.6cm
  • Width: 3.3cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 14/12/1998 by JC
Marks and inscriptions
'QUAE AMISSA SALVA' (Makers marks; Latin; Mark of John Samuel Hunt for Hunt and Roskell, London; engraved with the crest of Keith-Falconer, Earl of Kintore and motto)
Translation
'what has been lost is safe'
Gallery label
British Galleries: Teaspoons could be sold as part of a cutlery canteen or in boxed sets of six with a pair of sugar tongs.(27/03/2003)
Summary
Object Type
Teaspoons evolved in the late 17th century as spoon types generally became more diverse. They could be purchased as part of a large canteen of cutlery or in boxed sets.

Food & Drink
The idea of a formal afternoon tea, taken by family and friends at about 4 o'clock, emerged as people began to dine later in the evening. In the mid-18th century fashionable society dined between 3 and 4 o'clock, but by the early 19th century 7 or 8 o'clock was the rule. Afternoon tea provided welcome refreshment and an added social engagement between lunch at 1 o'clock and the later dinner hour. Apart from tea, thin bread and butter, cake and fresh fruit would be offered. Tea could also be served at other afternoon events, such as the more elaborate 'at home' teas, which combined refreshment with entertainment, or at a later, more substantial 'high tea'.

Design & Designing
The pattern of this teaspoon is a variation of the King's Husk design, customised for the Earl of Kintore with the family crest and motto. The spoon would have been part of a specially commissioned cutlery set.

Manufacturer
The manufacturer of the teaspoon, Hunt and Roskell, was one of the most prestigious silversmiths of the Victorian period. The partnership lasted from 1843 to 1897 and exhibited at the major international exhibitions of the period.
Collection
Accession number
M.58A-1966

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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