Ladle 1810 - 1825

This is a silver ladle, made by S. Yates, a silversmith who worked in the early 19th century. The ladle’s simple elegance speaks volumes about the social and economic structures of its time. In Federal America, owning silver objects was a clear marker of status. It reflected not only wealth but also a certain level of social aspiration. Silver was expensive to produce, and the labor and skill required to craft it made it a luxury item, so owning something like this declared that you had made it. Looking at the ladle, you might consider what kind of meals it would have served. Think about the rituals around dining, the social hierarchies it implied, and even the labor required to produce and serve those meals. These kinds of questions will illuminate the social and institutional contexts that gave shape to this object. What we learn from it is contingent on the social context we apply to it.