Strainer spoon 1700 - 1750

This strainer spoon was crafted by S.T., an artist active in the first half of the 18th century. In an era marked by rigid social hierarchies, even everyday objects like this strainer spoon reflect the intricacies of class and status. Silver, the material from which the spoon is made, was a commodity reserved for the wealthy, while the lower classes would have used similar objects made of wood or pewter. The strainer spoon speaks volumes about the rituals of dining and refinement that defined upper-class life during the 1700s. This spoon also reveals the way identities were constructed and performed through material culture. Silverware became a symbol of gentility and a way for individuals to assert their position in society. Through close examination, this spoon invites us to consider broader questions about power, privilege, and the ways in which objects can both reflect and reinforce social norms.