Antique George III Sterling Silver Caddy Spoon (0.4 Ounces) Charles Hougham

The spoon appears to have the stamp/mark of Charles Hougham.

Charles Hougham was a silversmith between 1769-1793. He was the brother of Solomon Hougham, another prominent silversmith of the time.

The Hougham family came from Sandwich in Kent and were landowners at the end of the 17th century including the "manor or lordship of Barton".

Solomon was in partnership with Charles from at least 1785.

In 1792 he was a signatory to the London Bucklemakers Petition to the Prince of Wales and one of the deputation of six who presented a petition to the King himself .

So what is a caddy spoon?

Well, in short, a caddy spoon is a spoon used for measuring out tea in the form of dried tea leaves. Traditionally made of silver, they were in common use in the 19th century, when tea was a more expensive commodity. Tea was sometimes stored in elaborate boxes or containers called tea caddies, and these spoons were made to be used with such containers.

When tea was introduced to Britain in the early Restoration period, it was shipped in wooden containers, packed around a variety of porcelain vessels. It wasn’t long before silversmiths imitated this shape in their crafting of tea caddies.

Around the 1760s, fashion trends caused tea caddies to change, rather than imitating the containers that the tea was shipped in, they became box-shaped, with flat or slightly domed lids. The newer versions also sometimes had vase-shaped vessels with a detachable cover that was too large for measuring tea. This necessitated the need for a separate spoon form measuring out the tea.

Early caddy spoons generally had shell-shaped bowls. It is widely believed that this stems from tea merchants using sea shells to allow customers to sample the tea by smell and taste before making a purchase. They were even called ‘Caddy Shells’ until the 1840s. A lot of these spoons had deeply-curved terminals so that the spoon could be hooked over the rim or handle of the tea caddy itself while not in use. Typically, they also had deeply-molded bowls in order to measure a decent amount of tea.

Examples from before the mid-19th century were generally made of thin sheet silver, and these examples are not typically in good condition today, as they have a tendency to crack due to their somewhat rudimentary materials. The higher quality caddy spoons were cast in silver first and then hand-chased, giving them a more significant weight. Some examples of these silver spoons were made from one piece of silver, eliminating potential weaknesses from the bowl being soldered to the handle. Silver was the preferred material when it came to caddy spoons, as tea was a luxury, and using silver utensils would enhance the taste and flavors, where other materials may be detrimental to the experience.

It is assumed that thousands of caddy spoons were made at the height of their popularity, as there as still numerable examples of items in relatively good condition. Naturally, this had led to them becoming a highly collectable item; they are small, relatively inexpensive, and can come in a wide range of designs. To date, shells are still the most common motif, although some take on more novelty shapes such as hands. Although caddy spoons were used right up until the mid-20th century, finding examples of Art Deco and Art Nouveau items proves challenging, as they are very rare.

The need for caddy spoons met its demise with the advent of teabags. Although some people still buy loose leaf tea, most opt for the convenience of bagged tea. Caddy spoons are now mostly relegated to the status of a collectable, although some people do ensure they continue the centuries-old practice of making and drinking loose leaf tea.

With that said, the caddy spoon in this auction would be a lovely addition to anyone's collection.




In general, all items may or may not have been damaged by water, smoke, mold, insects, mishandling, animal chewing, cracks, nicks, dings, dents, rips, marks, stains, divots, waviness, creases, scratches, etc.

***Please look at the attached photos for size and condition. Photos are part of the description representing the condition report and can be used for authentication prior to the sale date. We urge bidder's to view all attached photos in detail. All items are sold "AS IS". Thank you for your interest and good luck bidding.

Notes: Please inspect all photos carefully before bidding. Thank you for your interest and good luck bidding.

Consistent with age and use.

18%

Mike Marsullo | (860) 997-3332 | fil14fy@gmail.com

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Torrington, CT 06790

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Saturday, 8/13, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

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