Tablespoon
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c. 1810
This object is an American silver tablespoon dating to circa 1810, crafted by the silversmith Robert Wilson. The utensil features a deep, elongated oval bowl tapering slightly toward the tip. A slender, curved stem connects the bowl to the handle, which gradually widens toward a rounded terminal designed for hand grip and presentation. The piece measures 24.1 by 4.8 cm (9 1/2 by 1 7/8 in.) and showcases a smooth, reflective silver finish throughout.
The tablespoon is decorated with an inscription and maker's stamp. The upper face of the handle's terminal features the engraved script initials "ER", executed in decorative flourished lettering. On the reverse side, the spoon is marked with the initials "RW". The spoon was produced in the United States by Robert Wilson, an American craftsman whose career included periods of activity in New York City from 1803 to 1811 and in Philadelphia from 1816 to 1846.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Dimensions
- 24.1 × 4.8 cm (9 1/2 × 1 7/8 in.)
Technical characteristics
- Inscriptions
- INscribed: "ER"; marked on reverse: "RW"
- Maker recorded
- Robert Wilson, American, 1796–1846, Active New York City 1803–1811; Active Philadelphia 1816–1846, Philadelphia
- Place recorded
- United States
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Art Institute of Chicago collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Tablespoon
- Museum object number
- 1951.287
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.