Strooibus 1768

This "Strooibus," or spice caster, was made by Pieter van der Kruyf out of solid silver. Look closely, and you'll notice how the silversmith has used their skill to manipulate the material. Hammering would have been essential to realize the vessel's spiraling form. The body of the object would have been raised from a flat sheet of silver using specialist tools and a practiced eye. Notice the pierced decoration on the upper portion. This demanded meticulous control, using saws and files to create delicate patterns. Silver objects like these speak to a moment in history when global trade networks were expanding, and new flavors were circulating. Having a spice caster was a statement of wealth and taste. But behind the gleam of the silver, we should also remember the labor involved. Mining, refining, and shaping this precious metal would have been incredibly energy-intensive. Thinking about the materials and making of this Strooibus connects it to broader themes of labor, trade, and cultural exchange, reminding us that even the most refined objects have complex origins.