Five miniature dishes 18th century

George Manjoy made these five miniature dishes from silver sometime around the late 17th or early 18th century. These dishes, small as they are, can tell us a lot about the history of consumerism and social status in Europe at that time. During this period, there was a growing interest in collecting miniature versions of everyday objects, especially among the wealthy. These tiny dishes would have been displayed in a cabinet of curiosities, a popular way for the elite to show off their wealth, education, and refinement. The use of silver as a material also speaks to the growing importance of precious metals in the European economy. As historians, we can learn more about this culture by studying auction catalogs and probate inventories that tell us how these objects were valued, and displayed. Through studying these sources, we can begin to understand the social lives of these tiny dishes.