Sugar Bowl 1882 - 1892

This is a silver sugar bowl, made by Tiffany & Co. It is an object elevated from daily life through skilled manipulation. Consider the methods of its making. The silversmith would have started with sheets of metal, formed through hammering, and then the enamel work added further layers of complexity. These colorful embellishments transform the material qualities of the silver, and the result is a combination of understated elegance, and overt visual richness. It speaks to a culture in which even the most quotidian activities, like taking tea, could be elevated by fine craftsmanship. The sugar bowl reflects Tiffany's ambition to compete with European luxury brands, through embracing labor-intensive techniques. The amount of work involved in producing this is considerable; each stage requiring specialized skills. Ultimately, this sugar bowl asks us to consider how value is created through both material transformation, and skilled labor, blurring the lines between fine art and decorative craft.