Tablespoon 1840 - 1850

This is a tablespoon, likely made in the 19th century by M. Hoyris, forged from a single piece of silver. Its form is simple: an oval bowl, a slender, tapering handle, and a flat end. Silver is a soft material, yet strong enough to be worked into functional objects. The spoon would have been formed by heating the silver and then hammering it, a process called forging. The silversmith would have used a variety of specialized tools to shape the metal, gradually coaxing it into the desired form. Consider the labor involved in producing this seemingly simple object, from the mining of the silver ore to the skilled work of the silversmith. A piece like this speaks to a culture of consumption, and ideas around value: silver signified wealth, status, and refinement. Looking at this spoon reminds us that everyday objects are imbued with cultural significance, reflecting both the skill of the maker and the values of the society in which they were created.