Pair of trembleuse stands 1713 - 1714

These trembleuse stands were crafted in the 18th century by Paul de Lamerie, a master silversmith working in London. Such stands catered to the rituals of elite sociability and consumption, especially in relation to tea, coffee, and chocolate. Consider the cultural significance of these beverages at the time. They symbolized global trade networks and colonial expansion and were luxury goods enjoyed by those who could afford them. The stands themselves, designed to steady the cups of those with shaky hands, speak to a culture of refinement and attentiveness to bodily comportment. We see this culture reflected across paintings, literature, and etiquette manuals of the time. To understand these objects fully, scholars explore archives of trade, manufacture, and consumption. We look into household inventories, personal letters, and visual representations of social life. Only then can we appreciate the intersection of art, commerce, and social norms that shaped the world in which these trembleuse stands were created and used.