Basket 1790 - 1800

This delicate silver basket, crafted by an unknown artisan, invites us to consider the cultural values attached to luxury goods. The very material signifies wealth and status. The intricate filigree work, with its complex patterns and delicate handle, speaks to a culture that values refinement and display. Baskets such as this were luxury items produced in Europe and the Americas, from the 18th century onward. They were luxury items that could be found on wealthy people’s tables and would have been used to hold sweetmeats, fruits or visiting cards. What can a historian make of such an object? By examining trade routes, colonial histories, and the emergence of consumer culture, one can locate the basket within broader narratives of power and exchange. We can examine pattern books, museum collections, and historical inventories to understand the place such objects occupied in social life. This basket is more than just a pretty object. It is a historical document that speaks volumes about the society that produced and cherished it.