Ladle 1775 - 1800

This silver ladle was crafted by Richard Humphreys around the late 18th century. Its bowl, shaped like a scallop shell, is the most evocative part. The scallop is, of course, inextricably linked to pilgrimage. The association began with Saint James the Great, whose emblem it became; pilgrims wore them as proof of their journey to his shrine in Santiago de Compostela. Yet, even before Christianity, shells were ancient symbols of fertility and rebirth, linked to goddesses like Venus, born from the sea foam in a scallop shell. Notice how the ladle, an object associated with nourishment, adopts this form. Through this choice, the maker unconsciously touches upon the shell's primal connection to life-giving forces. The symbol persists, adapting to new beliefs and customs, yet always echoing deeper, timeless notions of renewal. The scallop shell, in its cyclical journey, reminds us of our enduring relationship with nature and the sacred.