Souvenir spoon with view of a mountain resort and railway station and arms of Switzerland
Unknown Artist
late 19th century
Medium
Gilt and enamel
Dimensions
Length: 5 in. (12.7 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
European
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Sir William H. Redding, in memory of his wife, 1908
Accession Number
08.245.30
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming late 19th-century souvenir captures the allure of Switzerland burgeoning tourism era, when grand mountain resorts and pioneering railways visitors from across Europe. Crafted as a memento, its handle features a detailed enamel scene of a picturesque alpine resort and station, topped with the heraldic arms of Switzerland—symbolizing national pride and country's emerging identity as a playground for the elite. At just 5 inches long, these diminutive treasures were ideal for travelers to collect and display, reflecting the era's obsession with personalized keepsakes. Made of silver...