Miniature waste bowl (part of a set) 1685 - 1715

This miniature waste bowl was crafted in the late 17th or early 18th century by David Clayton, a silversmith active in London. This bowl speaks volumes about the rituals of consumption, and their relationship to class and identity in the period of British colonial expansion. Imagine the elaborate tea ceremonies of the time, which were social performances defining status. This bowl, part of a larger set, would have been used to discard tea leaves, remnants of a ritual fueled by the exploitation of labor and resources from colonized lands. Silver itself, a material of wealth, becomes a marker of social standing. The bowl, though small, embodies a complex web of global trade, colonial power, and social hierarchy. It invites us to consider the hidden histories behind everyday objects, and the ways in which our desires are intertwined with the stories of others.