Tea Caddy Spoon
1855
Classification
cutlery
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Samuel P. Avery
Accession Number
1898-6-20
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
### Tea Caddy Spoon (1855) Nestled in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection this Tea Caddy Spoon from 1855 offers a glimpse into the elegant rituals of mid-19th American domestic life. Tea caddies—ornate boxes for storing precious loose tea leaves—were status symbols in Victorian-era households, and their accompanying spoons were essential tools for measuring just the right amount for brewing. Crafted as functional cutlery, this piece reflects the era's blend of practicality and refinement, when tea drinking became a daily social custom among the growing middle class. Though the a...
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...