Artwork Page for Seashell Salt with Shell and Crab Spoon (Spoon)

Details / Information for Seashell Salt with Shell and Crab Spoon (Spoon)

Seashell Salt with Shell and Crab Spoon (Spoon)

1884
made at

Gorham Manufacturing Company

(America, est. 1831)
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Culture
America, Rhode Island, Providence, 19th century
Medium
handwrought sterling silver, partially gilt
Measurements
Overall: 2.5 cm (1 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Trideca Society 2000.14.b
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Description

This small salt dish and spoon reflect the late 19th-century interest in incorporating naturalistic details into the design of useful pieces-in this instance probably inspired by Japanese examples.
A handwrought silver spoon features a long, textured handle resembling a twisting branch tapering upward. Near the top, a small crab with delicate claws clings to the stem. The handle transitions into an irregular, seashell-shaped bowl, where a cluster of raised metallic beads marks the junction. Finely engraved wavy lines pattern the interior of the bowl, while the overall form maintains a rugged, organic aesthetic from the branch handle to the base.

Seashell Salt with Shell and Crab Spoon (Spoon)

1884

Gorham Manufacturing Company

(America, est. 1831)
America, Rhode Island, Providence, 19th century

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