Ladle
1770–1800
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
L. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm)
Classification
Ladle
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Alphonso T. Clearwater, 1933
Accession Number
33.120.459
Art Historical Context
This elegant silver ladle, crafted by American silversmith Saunders Pitman between 1770 and 1800, exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of late colonial and early Federal-era metalwork. Measuring just over six inches in length, the piece was likely designed for serving at the dining table, where silver utensils signaled both practicality and social standing. Pitman, working during a period of growing American independence, would have shaped the ladle using traditional techniques such as raising, chasing, and polishing, transforming raw silver into an object of graceful utility. As part of the...