Silver Caster 1935 - 1942

Joseph Leboit made this drawing of a silver caster, likely as a design or record, during his lifetime which spanned much of the 20th century. Silver casters like this one evoke a sense of luxury and formality; objects often associated with the rituals of dining in upper-class households, and hint at the complex social hierarchies embedded in everyday life. Consider the labor, often invisible, required to mine, craft, and maintain such items. These objects are embodiments of status and wealth, but they're also deeply intertwined with histories of colonialism, trade, and labor exploitation. Leboit’s drawing makes me think about who had access to these objects, and who was excluded. How were gender roles reinforced through the rituals of serving and consuming? The caster remains, mute but suggestive, a reminder of the stories we tell ourselves about progress, taste, and civilization.