Spoon 1790 - 1800

This silver spoon was made by B. Ivers sometime between 1750 and 1850. It is currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. At first glance, it's just a spoon. But consider this: in the 18th and 19th centuries, when this spoon was made, silver was not cheap. Owning silverware indicated a certain level of wealth and social status. The simple, elegant design of the spoon, devoid of excessive ornamentation, speaks to the tastes of a refined, perhaps even aristocratic, clientele. The presence of the spoon in a museum raises questions about the history of taste and collecting. How did such an everyday object come to be considered worthy of display? Silverware like this is a testament to the evolving definition of art and the shifting values of our cultural institutions. To understand this spoon fully, we need to delve into historical records, account books, and museum archives. Only then can we truly appreciate its place in the social and cultural landscape of its time.