Tea spoon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
c. 1889
Maker
J. E. Caldwell & Co. (1848-2003)
Measurements
6 in x 1-1/4 in x 7/8 in
Materials
Silver with gold-washed bowl
Credit Line
6 in x 1-1/4 in x 7/8 in
Accession Number
1971.1102
Inscription
"ETWJr" is engraved on the handle; "1889" is engraved on the underside of the handle.
“STERLING” and “J.E.CALDWELL & CO.” are on the back of the handle.
Provenance
Ex coll. Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner
Comments
The spoon handle is decorated in a shell and C-scroll pattern often identified as "king" or "king's" that originated in England. It was made by many silver flatware manufacturers of the mid- to late-19th century. This example, marked by J.E. Caldwell of Philadelphia, appears to be part of the same flatware service as a salt spoon, accession no. 1971.1080.
The tea spoon was catalogued among Mary Warner's souvenir spoons, but it is unrelated by design or function to those spoons. The spoon bears the initials of Edward Tatnall Warner Jr., born March 19, 1889. The date 1889 appears on the back of the handle. Edward Jr. was the third and last son born to Mary Warner. He died on April 11, 1890.
