Covered sugar bowl from -Tête à Tête- tea and coffee service 1939

This is a covered sugar bowl, part of the -Tête à Tête- tea and coffee service, attributed to Arthur Leroy Barney, an American artist born in 1884. Its sleek design speaks to the aesthetic and cultural values of its time. The tea set embodies the elegance and social rituals associated with tea and coffee consumption. During the early 20th century, such sets were often symbols of status and sophistication. The service reflects how gender, class, and identity were intricately linked in social practices of the time. While the object itself seems simple, it embodies a complex set of social expectations. Tea ceremonies were spaces where one could negotiate and perform social roles. Reflecting on this sugar bowl, consider its place within this historical narrative. It represents both a functional object and a symbol of its era's social and aesthetic ideals.