{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O271666"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O271666/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HT4352/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HT4352/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HT4352","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT4353","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT4354","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT4355","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT4351","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HT4356","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O271666/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O271666","accessionNumber":"CIRC.2-1960","objectType":"Spoon caddy","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"A caddy spoon is a type of spoon for use in taking and measuring dry tea from a tea caddy, usually small enough to fit inside the caddy.  English examples were developed in the mid-18th century when the Chinese tea bottle was superseded by the tea caddy, having an opening large enough to accommodate a small spoon to dispense and measure the tea and when the cover (the thimble  top) was no longer used as a measure.  Caddy spoons were always required to be hallmarked, being excluded from the exemption of the English act of 1790 relating to small articles.\r\n\nThe MC maker's mark on the spoon refers to Mary Chawner. She was the widow of the silversmith and spoonmaker William Chawner, who died in 1834. Mary Chawner took over the business and in 1840, entered into partnership with her son-in-law George William Adams (husband of her daughter Mary Ann), who, after her retirement (or death) managed the business as Chawner & Co and remained sole partner until 1883. In this year Chawner & Co was sold to Holland, Aldwinkle & Slater (1883-1922, when the firm was absorbed by Francis Higgins & Son Ltd). Mary Chawner was probably  not a working silversmith but ran the business side of the firm and was responsible for the quality of the silver they sold. \r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"The bowl is shell-shaped, the handle bearing the crest of a deer.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Chawner, Mary","id":"A11049"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x37726"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved silver","categories":[{"text":"Tea, Coffee & Chocolate wares","id":"THES48886"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2015HT4352","2015HT4353","2015HT4354","2015HT4355","2015HT4351","2015HT4356"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"018","id":"THES408933"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Spoon Caddy","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1834-5","earliest":"1834-01-01","latest":"1835-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"3 3/4","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Mark identified during a visit from the Caddy Spoon Society, September 2015.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Silver, London hallmarks for 1834-5, maker's mark MC for Mary Chawner.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CIRC.2-1960"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1960,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-16","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}