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Snuff Spoon — England, 18th century

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Written by: Lucas HughesContributing Writer · Furniture & Decorative Arts
Furniture & Decorative Arts · Catalogue no. 20338
England, 18th century

Snuff Spoon

StatusReference work · Not for sale
Held byCleveland Museum of Art
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Luxurious personal objects were an essential part of a privileged wardrobe during the 1700s and early 1800s, emphasizing their owner’s refinement and wealth. Especially popular were <em>étuis</em>, small ornamented cases containing miniature sewing, writing, or grooming implements that hung at a woman’s waist from an ornate clasp, known as a <em>chatelaine</em>. Despite its glittering surface, this small expensive set disguised a system based on the labor and suffering of enslaved or indentured people, whether in gold and stone mines or the shop where it was made.

Artist / MakerEngland, 18th century
Datec. 1770
Culture / OriginEngland, 18th century
Mediumgilt metal
DepartmentDecorative Art and Design
TypeMiscellaneous
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Provenance & Source

Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.

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