Naturalistic Silver Mote Spoon, c.1750

This beautiful Georgian silver mote spoon is in the Naturalistic taste that was the height of fashion during the 1740-60 period.

The bowl of the spoon is formed as a textured tea leaf with the veins cleverly pierced out to allow the spoon to strain the surface of poured tea. The stem is enhanced with a second leaf that doubles up as a thumb piece to aid the user. This very fine mote spoon dates from the mid-18th century and is in superb condition. There is a single maker's mark to the reverse of the stem that is either "IH" or "IM".

Mote spoons were used for skimming dust motes from the surface of a cup of tea (a common problem for tea drinkers at a time when the product was carried in wooden chests) and the long tapering, pointed stem was used to unblock teapot spouts.