Cake basket 1744 - 1745

This silver cake basket was made by Paul de Lamerie, a Huguenot silversmith working in 18th-century London. It embodies the rococo style, with its ornate, asymmetrical design and lavish use of naturalistic motifs. Lamerie was the leading silversmith of his day, catering to the tastes of the British aristocracy and gentry. Objects like this served as ostentatious displays of wealth and status. They reflect a society deeply divided by class, where access to luxury goods was determined by birth and fortune. The Huguenots who fled France following persecution brought with them advanced skills in craftsmanship and new aesthetic sensibilities that invigorated London's luxury goods market. To understand such an object fully, we must examine the social history of consumption in 18th-century Britain and consult archival sources that document the production and distribution of luxury goods. What did it mean to own such an object? What kind of social relationships did it enable?