Pair of women's silver spurs
1852
Medium
jewelry
Classification
jewelry
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-48-89-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of 19th-century equestrian fashion with this exquisite *Pair of Women's Silver Spurs* from 1852. Crafted in gleaming silver and classified as jewelry, these delicate accessories transcend their practical roots—spurs traditionally used by riders to urge horses forward—and emerge as luxurious adornments. Their feminine design highlights a rare intersection of utility and ornamentation, suggesting they were as much about style as function. In mid-19th-century America, women's participation in horseback riding was growing, often sidesaddle, amid expanding frontiers and...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...