Caddy spoon 1785 - 1815

This caddy spoon was crafted in the Netherlands by Christoffel Oepkes, in the early 19th century. The form of the caddy spoon speaks to the rising popularity of tea consumption during this era. By the 1800s, tea drinking had become a ritualized social practice, integral to polite society across Europe and its colonies. Utensils such as this weren’t merely functional objects, but potent signifiers of status and taste. Silverware in particular, displayed the wealth and refinement of its owner. We can consider this spoon alongside other period objects like tea services, paintings of tea parties, and etiquette manuals to deepen our understanding. It serves as a material trace of larger shifts in global trade, social customs, and the performance of identity through consumer goods. The historian’s role is to tease out these complex layers of meaning.