The Story of the Caddy Spoon c.1775-2015 is being staged by The Society of Caddy Spoon Collectors to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of their first exhibition.

When loose tea was first imported into Britain by the East India Company around 1660, it was a luxury commodity and was often stored in ornate boxes known as tea caddies. The caddy spoon was used to measure out precise scoops of the precious leaves. By 1750 tea was being drunk by most of the population and had become firmly established as the national drink.

The display will feature spoons dating back from the 16th century to the present day in silver, gold, ivory, pottery, glass, mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell. Members of the Society will be on hand to offer an insight into this very British tradition.

This is a collectable field and the attractions of a spoon may be a reflection of its beauty and/or rarity. Thus a plain spoon by a Scottish provincial maker will be highly desirable. While the majority of the spoons shown will be British, befitting our tea drinking heritage, other countries in Europe and beyond will be represented.

The evolution of styles and shape will be indicated, from the early shell bowl forms utilising Oriental influences, through designs mirroring the flatware designs and fashions of the day. Fanciful shapes, such as the Eagle’s Wing and Jockey Cap can be observed. Famous silversmiths and craftsmen of each period, devoted time and energy to the production of these small objects. As the 20th century loomed, caddy spoon design followed the Artistic Movements of the period from Art Nouveau to Arts & Crafts and Art Deco. Famous names like Omar Ramsden, Liberty, A.E.Jones and H.G. Murphy all designed spoons in Britain, while Georg Jensen (Denmark) and David Andersen (Norway) were famed on the continent. In the U.S.A. Tiffany and Gorham produced a stream of high quality spoons.

Traditional forms of caddy spoons continued to be made and regional differences are exampled by decorative pre-Revolution spoons from Russia.

In the post-war years caddy spoons continued to attract attention from silversmiths, sometimes for commemorative purposes. Thus fine work can be observed from Stuart Devlin, Alex Styles and Gerald Benney, among others. The Society of Caddy Spoon Collectors has commissioned several spoons during the last 40 years, the most recent designed by Malcolm Appleby and enamelled by Jane Short.

Today there is ample evidence that the art of the designer-silversmith is flourishing. The fact that many of us now use tea bags and the utilitarian function of the caddy spoon has decreased, has not led to its demise. The caddy spoon remains a delightful, small expression of craftsmanship and inventiveness. Examples by contemporary silversmiths will be on view.

Research is ongoing, and some examples of attribution and re-attribution of makers since the first exhibition in 1965 will be shown.