Strainer Spoon 1836 - 1838

Curator: It reminds me of peering through a starry night sky, but instead of stars, it’s little droplets wanting to break free. Editor: Well, get ready to drain that metaphorical night sky. What you're seeing is a strainer spoon. This particular piece, crafted between 1836 and 1838, comes from the workshops of Watson and Brown. Made of shimmering silver, it’s currently held in the Art Institute of Chicago. Curator: Silver, huh? Makes you think of Downton Abbey, doesn't it? All those servants polishing away in some cavernous kitchen. You can practically feel the weight of the aristocracy in the utensil itself. Editor: Absolutely. Utilitarian objects like this reveal so much about the culture and class structures of the time. Think about the effort required to create something like this, not just functionally, but with this level of detail, of beauty. The material itself was an indicator of social position. Silver signaled refinement, privilege... Curator: While simultaneously enabling someone to, you know, perfectly de-lump gravy or separate tea leaves like a boss! The duality tickles me. Does the beauty of the object justify the system that allowed it to exist? Editor: Ah, the eternal question! These objects are material evidence of production, patronage, and social custom, and the history of museums like this one shows that the elite collected beautiful objects. Silver flatware also tells us about shifting class aspirations as a wealthy middle class tried to imitate those above them. Curator: Makes me think about planned obsolescence and how, in some ways, we are returning to durability in the products we make. Silver will be there long after we’re gone to slurp away at the galaxy’s greatest cosmic soup. Editor: Exactly! Decorative arts, seemingly simple things, contain a history of use, display, and aspiration. Hopefully, understanding a humble strainer spoon gives listeners food for thought, so to speak. Curator: Aye, perhaps a ladle full of meaning.